Snapshots From A New Strangetown
by SClownzZzZz
Summary: A collection of Strangetown oneshots set over ten years past the start of The Sims 2. Mostly centers around Loki Beaker, Vidcund Curious, and the Beaker twins. Inspired by to-fu. Chapter Seventeen Up: Vidcund comes face to face with Lazlo at a family reunion after severing ties with him ten years ago. Loki struggles with what he really wants.
1. The Butterfly Garden Part 1

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! _Complications_ is ending soon, so I thought it would be the perfect time to start a new story! This fanfiction is a collection of oneshots that I wrote over the last few months. In fact, _The Butterfly Garden Part 1 & 2_ were written in July for one of my favorite simmers, to-fu, who inspired me to make this collection. This story mostly centers around Loki Beaker and his struggles to be a stay-at-home father to his genetically-engineered twins, Atom and Ceres. This story also features many other characters from the original Strangetown neighborhood, including Circe and the Curious brothers.

As always, feel free to leave me a review telling me what you think, and if you'd like to see more of this story! :D

* * *

 **Snapshots From A New Strangetown**

 _Chapter One_ _–_ _The Butterfly Garden Part 1_

Vidcund Curious sighs as he plops himself down on the living room couch, his forty-three-year old body aching after cleaning every inch of the residence that he shares with his partner on 1 Tesla Court. Mere seconds later, the phone rings from the kitchen, the noise immediately destroying any last hope of Vidcund having a peaceful afternoon. Vidcund groans as he reluctantly gets up from the comfortable piece of furniture and drags his feet across the hardwood surface to the kitchen. He picks up the phone. "Hello?"

 _"Hello, Mr. Curious,"_ a friendly and familiar voice speaks out from the opposite end of the line, _"This is Principal Howard from Strangetown Middle School. I'm sorry to bother you, but we had a little incident this morning that we thought you should be aware of…"_

"Oh no," Vidcund moans, bringing his hand up to his forehead, "What is it this time?"

 _"Well…we kinda-sorta lost your daughter-"_

"WHAT?!" Vidcund cries, grabbing the receiver in a panic, "Oh God!"

 _"Now, now, don't worry, we found her a few hours later. Turns out she wandered away from the group during the field trip and set up camp in the butterfly garden."_

Vidcund steps back slightly, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. "So, she's fine?" he asks, his heart rate decreasing slowly.

 _"Of course,"_ Principal Howard responds, _"But while we were searching for your daughter, your son was caught shoplifting. We need you to get down to the school as soon as possible to meet with the school guidance counselor."_

Vidcund sighs, "Okay," he states, this phrase all too common, "Do you want me to bring Loki?"

 _"No!"_ Principal Howard states abruptly. He clears his throat _, "No, that won't be necessary. Just get down here in the next fifteen minutes,"_ Principal Howard reiterates, hanging up before Vidcund can say another word.

Vidcund pulls his head away from the receiver, shaking his head and letting out a heavy exhale as he sets the phone back on the hook.

…

Fifteen minutes later, Vidcund steps into Principal Howard's office in his classic, everyday attire. Upon seeing him, Principal Howard and the school guidance counselor stand up from their seats, shake his hand, and give a casual greeting. "Vidcund, how nice of you to join us," Principal Howard states, taking a seat behind his desk next to the counselor, "Please take a seat."

Vidcund nods and sits down at the empty chair that the principal is gesturing at between Ceres and Atom, Vidcund's ten-year-old adoptive daughter and son. Atom is frantically looking around the room while Ceres is slouching in her chair with her eyes glued to the floor. Vidcund instantly turns to his daughter. "Are you okay?" he asks. "Why did you wander away from the group?"

"I don't really want to talk about it," she mumbles.

"So, by now, I'm sure you heard what happened," the guidance counselor speaks up, clasping his hands together from across the table, "And all the staff here at Strangetown Middle School are very concerned. This is the third time in a row Atom has been caught stealing during this school year-" the counselor begins, stopping as Atom takes the stapler off Principal Howard's desk and slips it into his pocket, "- _Okay._ The fourth time," he quickly corrects.

"Atom!" Vidcund hisses, holding his hand out and snatching the stapler from him.

Atom shrugs. "But Dad said it was okay! He said I can steal anything I want as long as it doesn't belong to him."

"And that's another thing," Principal Howard steps in, "Atom keeps claiming that your husband is granting him permission to do these things."

"-Boyfriend," Vidcund quickly mutters, "We're not married."

Principal Howard nods, "Ah."

"I mean we could've been," Vidcund frantically explains, "but I decided against it."

"I understand," Principal Howard confirms, "Believe me, you don't need to explain any further."

"Dr. Howard?" the school secretary pokes her head into the office, "You have a visitor."

Principal Howard sighs as everyone in the room turns their attentions to the door. "Estelle, I'm in the middle of a very important meeting right now, can you tell them to come back later?"

"Yeah…" Estelle begins, tapping her pointy, scarlet fingernails against the white wooden doorframe, "I don't think that's going to work…"

Principal Howard scrunches his forehead, clearly puzzled, "Why not?" he states.

"Dr. Howard!" an overly-animated voice blares from the other side of the door. Principal Howard cringes as the parent bursts through the doorway, dressed head to toe in his classic villainous attire. "How dare you try to keep me from interfering in my children's lives!" Loki barks, his arms crossed, "I'll have you know that they're one hundred percent pure Loki!"

"Oh God," Vidcund groans, covering his face with his hands.

"Mr. Beaker, I am not trying to keep you from your children," Principal Howard responds, his demeanor calm and collective after years of practice dealing with this circumstance, "I just didn't think it would be a good idea to have you at this meeting. For one thing, we're discussing very sensitive topics."

"And you don't think I can handle that?" Loki replies, still on the verge of shouting.

"I know based on past experiences that you cannot," Principal Howard replies, crossing his arms as well, "But now that you're here, perhaps you can clarify something for us," he continues, tapping his finger against his chin, "Your son, Atom, was telling us earlier that you told him that he can steal anything as long as it isn't yours," Principal Howard begins, "Now this is highly unacceptable and we severely doubt that a parent especially would ever encourage their child to-"

"Yeah, I told him he could do that," Loki says, not giving it a second thought.

Vidcund groans, burying his face deeper into his hands as both Principal Howard and the guidance counselor stare at Loki with mouths agape. "I think the first question I would have is, why?" Principal Howards speaks, barely able to get the words out.

"Well, both of my children are going to be evil geniuses one day, so why not?" Loki states nonchalantly. In front of him, Ceres sinks further in her seat.

"Because children need boundaries?" Principal Howard suggests.

Loki rolls his eyes and laughs. "Now you're just sounding like Vidcund," he states, "So is this thing over or what? I'd like to get back to my day off."

The guidance counselor continues to stare at Loki bizarrely for a moment, before shaking his head and turning his attention back to Vidcund. "Anyway, if you ever want Atom to stop stealing, I suggest finding him a hobby that he enjoys, so he can define himself in other ways besides kleptomania."

Loki leans next to Vidcund and nudges him in the side. "What is he blubbering on about?" he wonders.

"He's suggesting ways that we can treat Atom's kleptomania before he ends up in prison," Vidcund mutters.

"WHAT?!" Loki cries, leaning over Principal Howard's desk and staring him straight in the eyes, "Listen, buddy. My son can steal whatever he wants as long as I say it's okay!" he growls.

"-And just like that, we've identified the real problem," Principal Howard states, completely unfazed by the enraged parent, "And that would be you, Mr. Beaker," he says before lowering his voice to a mutter, "- _Not like I'm surprised._ "

The guidance counselor nods and scoots his chair forward. "The problem is your boyfriend sets boundaries, but you don't make the children keep them," he tells Loki.

Loki laughs once more. "Well yeah, they're evil geniuses, they don't _need_ boundaries," Loki states with an eye roll.

"Obviously they do, otherwise we wouldn't have called you here," Principal Howard replies, clasping his hands together in a sigh as he stares at the clock mounted on the wall. "Unfortunately, it's six o'clock, so I can't keep you here any longer," he says, standing up from his chair, "I've never said this before to anyone, but please, for the sake of everyone involved, Mr. Beaker, please quit 'parenting' your children."

Loki shrugs, flashing the principal his signature smirk. "Eh, I'll think about it."

…

Twenty minutes later, the family of four steps into the Beaker mansion, Loki still fuming after their meeting with the principal. Ceres quickly trudges up the stairs while Atom appears rather unfazed in the living room. Loki turns to Vidcund, who is still rubbing his aching forehead. "Can you believe the nerve of that guy suggesting that _I'm_ the problem in our children's lives?!" he cries, "What is his deal?"

Atom smiles and stares up at Loki. "Hey Dad, can I use the chainsaw?" he asks.

"Sure, knock yourself out," he states, waving it off.

"No, you cannot use the chainsaw," Vidcund quickly tells his son, jumping in before a catastrophe commences. He crosses his arms and glares at Loki, "See?" he states, "This is exactly what Principal Howard was talking about!"

Loki laughs and rolls his eyes. "Look, I know what he was talking about, okay? He was saying that we need to let our children have free reign of the neighborhood, so they turn into evil masterminds."

Vidcund's face falls in a line. "I don't think anyone was saying _that_ ," he says, before turning towards the kitchen and burying his face in his hand.

"I don't know what you're so worried about, Vidcund," Loki states, stepping towards his distressed boyfriend, "The kids are fine."

"No, they're not," Vidcund replies, "I feel like I'm failing as a father. Do you think a happy child would try to run away from home and live in a butterfly garden?"

Loki shrugs, seriously pondering this one over. "Well, if they like butterflies-"

"I'm gonna go talk to her," Vidcund definitively states before slowly trekking up the stairs.

Vidcund sighs as he rounds the corner of the hallway, the light hue of the evening sun barely illuminating his daughter's bedroom. Vidcund sighs as he approaches the doorway. The room was mostly open, but he decided to knock anyway. "Ceres?" he calls out, giving the door a gentle tap, "Can I come in?" Vidcund asks.

The young girl groans and continues hiding behind her blue and white dollhouse, which stands out like a sore thumb in her mostly pink bedroom. "I guess," she states softly.

Vidcund slowly steps into the bedroom, doing his best to avoid the toys spread messily across the carpet. "Come over here, I want to talk to you."

"Is Dad here?" Ceres asks suddenly, still perched behind the miniature house.

Vidcund shakes his head, "No."

"Okay. I'll be right there," Ceres replies, slowly and carefully moving around her dollhouse. She takes a seat down on the pink carpet next to Vidcund.

"So…do you want to tell me what happened?" Vidcund asks, speaking into the silence. Ceres nods, "Why did you run away from the group? Did you get lost?"

Ceres shakes her head. "I didn't get lost," she replies, her voice is so soft it is barely audible, "I ran away because I…" Ceres stares down at the carpet, looking as though she is about to burst into tears any second. She releases heavy sigh. "Dad, what if I don't want to be an evil genius?"

"What?" Vidcund tilts his forehead.

"I mean, Dad seems to have this extraordinary life built up for Atom and me, but what if I don't want to do that?" she says, "What if I just want to be a normal kid?" Ceres asks.

"Well," Vidcund begins, wrapping his arm consoling around his daughter, "that would cause me a lot less distress," he answers, "but even if it didn't, you shouldn't be afraid to be who you are. Honey, you can be whatever you want to be. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks."

"Really?" Ceres squeaks, fiddling with her hands slightly, "Cause I wanna be like you."

Vidcund leans back slightly, unable to believe what he is hearing, "What?"

"I wanna be like you, Dad," Ceres repeats, looking up at Vidcund and giving him a small smile, "I wanna be a plant biologist."

Vidcund's heart melts. His eyes trail down to the carpet. This is the first time that day he feels like he has done something right. "Well, I guess we should go to the garden more often then."

Ceres nods, her eyes shining in excitement. She leans forward and wraps her arms around him. "Thanks, Dad, you know, for making me feel normal."

"You are normal," Vidcund says, the hug making him feel like the best father in Strangetown. Suddenly, the pair's eyes widen as they hear a chainsaw going off downstairs. "Well, as normal as anyone in this house is ever going to be," he adds.


	2. The Butterfly Garden Part 2

**Snapshots From A New Strangetown**

 _Chapter Two_ _–_ _The Butterfly Garden Part 2_

Vidcund treks down the grand staircase, determined after his talk with Ceres to take a stand. He walks into the foyer, passing by Atom, who is just about to rev up the chainsaw for the second time, while Loki stands cluelessly by the phone. Vidcund reaches down and snatches the chainsaw from Atom and chucks it out of reach at the top of the hall closet. "Go play with your robots," he instructs, giving a sigh of relief as for once, Atom does what he is told.

"Oh yeah? Well, your potato salad sucks, Karen!" Loki barks in the kitchen, clutching onto the sleek, silver handset, "Yeah, I said it," he sasses, swaying his hips, "What are you going to do about it? Hello? _Hello?_ " Loki says once more, the tone of the conversation immediately catching his boyfriend's attention. Loki turns to Vidcund, puzzled. "Huh. She hung up," he states. Loki shrugs and casually places the handset back onto the wall.

"Who was that?" Vidcund wonders.

"Karen Peterson," Loki replies. Vidcund tilts his forehead, "You know, the head of the PTA," he clarifies.

Vidcund groans. " _Loki_ , we already have enough enemies at the school as it is, why do you have to make things worse?"

"She started it!" Loki claims as Vidcund crosses his arms and shoots him a dubious glare, "I mean, what kind of person doesn't serve punch at PTA meetings? If you ask me, she was asking for trouble!" he points out, pacing away from the phone, "I don't get why you wanted the kids to go to that stupid school anyway. They can learn everything they need to know about the world from me!"

Vidcund shakes his head, staring down at the floor slightly. "That's the very statement that keeps me up at night," he mumbles, "Anyway, I'm glad I caught you, because we need to talk."

Loki stops in place, his hand around the refrigerator door handle. "God, nothing good has ever come after that phrase," he mutters. Vidcund watches as moments later, Loki sits down at the table and drinks his milk.

"It's about Ceres," Vidcund begins, approaching the opposite end of the dining table, "You know, your daughter?"

Loki stares up at the ceiling. "I'm familiar with her work, Vid," he affirms, "So what exactly is the problem?"

"The problem is you haven't been spending much time with her lately, and I'm worried that your lack of interest in her life is causing her to resent you."

"Resent me?" Loki shifts his head back, unable to believe what he is hearing, "What are you talking about? I'm her personal hero!" he proclaims, "Remember when she wrote that paper about how I'm Strangetown's greatest citizen?"

"No, she didn't," Vidcund says, "That was a parody article you found online."

"What? Get out of here," Loki jokes, waving Vidcund's words off as he stands up from the table. Loki walks over to the small section of wall adjacent to the refrigerator where the article is framed and mounted right above the telephone. Loki brings his hand up to chin and reads it over, squinting as he takes in every line. A few minutes later, Loki steps away from the wall. "Huh, on second glance, the article does have a strange, sarcastic undertone…"

"Look Loki, that's not the point," Vidcund remarks, walking up behind him, "The point is you're losing Ceres, and if you ever want to have any kind of positive relationship with her, you need to try and fix things."

Loki crosses his arms over his torso. "And how would I do that, Mr. Smarty-pants?"

"Well, spend some time with Ceres and actually get to know her," Vidcund suggests, "If you take an interest in something she enjoys and participate in it with her, she'll probably like you a lot more."

Loki rolls his eyes. "Psh! That's easy for you to say. She's always liked you!"

 _Six years earlier, Loki is fast asleep in the master bedroom one night, holding Vidcund in an uncomfortably tight embrace. Vidcund groans and attempts to move Loki away from him as the clock behind him turns to midnight. "Loki!" Vidcund whispers heavily into his boyfriend's ear; Loki doesn't budge, "Loki, come on. I have to wake up at five tomorrow!"_

 _"Why yes, I accept this Nobel Prize and all its powers!" Loki sleep talks, tightening his grip on Vidcund as if he is the award, Vidcund's eyes widening in the process. "Take that, Circe!" Loki laughs evilly for a moment, before dying down and letting out a loving sigh. Vidcund groans as Loki cuddles into him once more and starts drooling on his face._

 _"Hey Dad," a young, squeaky voice sounds from the doorway as a small, six-year-old Ceres steps into the room holding her teddy bear, "I had a nightmare. Can I sleep with you?"_

 _Vidcund sits up, using all his strength to roll Loki off him. Miraculously, he doesn't wake up. Vidcund turns back towards the door, his face softening when he sees her, "Sure, honey. Come here."_

 _Ceres smiles and walks towards him as Atom steps into the room behind his sister. "Sweet! Slumber party!" he cries, racing over and cannonballing onto the bed. A few minutes later, the twins are fast asleep on either side of Vidcund while he hugs them. Ceres's teddy bear is covering Vidcund's face as the trio peacefully slumbers._

 _The next morning, Ceres and Atom are wide awake driving matchbox cars across Vidcund's chest; the left side of the bed now filled with their toys. Atom quickly parks his bright red car on Vidcund's stomach and grabs Vidcund's glasses from the end table. He puts the green-tinted shades on his face and taps his sister on the shoulder, Vidcund still fast asleep inches away from them. "Look Ceres, I'm Dad! Eat your vegetables and clean up after yourselves!" he cries, giving his best Vidcund impression. Ceres giggles._

 _Hearing the commotion, Loki stops in the doorway, dressed in his lab coat on his way to work. He raises an eyebrow at the scene. "Eh," he states, waving it off as he glides down the stairs._

Back in the present, Vidcund points his finger in Loki's face. "Try hard, or you're going to lose her!" he claims, driving his point home before catching a look at the clock. "Hey, aren't you supposed to be at work?" he wonders.

"Relax," Loki replies, moving his hand down, "I paid someone to cover for me."

"Loki, you can't keep doing that!" Vidcund cries, "Crystal's already caught on and she's not too happy about it."

Loki laughs, rolling his eyes at the ceiling. "Yeah, like she's going to fire me."

…

"You're firing me?!" Loki shouts the next day, after being immediately called to Crystal's office.

Crystal calmly sits behind her grandiose desk and nods, clasping her hands in front of her signature purple pantsuit, all her various degrees displayed on the wall behind her for the world to see as a framed photo of Lazlo sits nearby on the desk. "You never come in anymore," she reminds him, "For the last month, you've just hired some guy to come in and dress up in your sweater!"

"Uh-huh," Loki replies dubiously, folding his arms over his torso, "And how do you know that?"

 _One week earlier, Crystal steps into Loki's workplace, a stack of highly-confidential paperwork in her hands. "Hey Loki," she greets, stopping in front of his desk, not bothering to look up from the papers, "Did you get the information for the new investor yet?"_

 _A sim dressed sloppily as Loki turns around, catches sight of Crystal, and screams at the top of his lungs, causing the Crystal to jump up and scream back. Crystal frantically reaches into her pocket, pulls out a can of pepper spray, and sprays the intruder down, causing the fake Loki to shriek and fall to the floor._

"Do you really want me to get into that?" Crystal questions, cocking her eyebrow.

"On second thought, probably not," Loki replies, "I heard it took fifteen hours to clean up the mess," he adds before stroking his chin, "He never really did nail that impression of me."

Crystal brings her hands together and sighs. "Loki, if you're really that unhappy here, why don't you just retire?"

"Cause then I'd have to spend time with my children, and apparently, that's not good for anyone!" he remarks, throwing his arm to the side, "Besides, I already know how awesome I am! What else is there left to discover on Loki Island?"

Crystal groans, reaching into her desk drawer to grab an aspirin. She rubs her aching forehead.

"Look, I know you're disappointed in me, but I'm going through a lot at home right now with the washing machine and I'm pretty sure Vidcund's getting a new glasses prescription soon, so…where was I going with this?"

Crystal sighs, her patience growing thin, "Please get out of my office before I call the cops."

"Ugh, fine," Loki caves, heading towards the door. He turns back to her in the doorway, "But don't say I didn't warn you!"

…

Loki whistles a surprisingly cheery tone as he swings open the doorway, locking eyes with Vidcund, who is playing dollhouse with Ceres in the living room. "Hey Ceres, guess what?" Loki chimes, staring at his daughter, "Daddy got fired…probably," he adds, throwing his hands out.

Vidcund's eyes widen, "Wow, what an introduction…" he mutters.

"So now we can spend all day together!" Loki exclaims, purposely ignoring Vidcund's comment.

Ceres face falls, still hanging onto one of the dollhouse figurines. "Why?"

"Because your dad said something about us forming a father-daughter bond, I don't know," Loki brushes it off, "The point is I'm going to spend the entire day with you doing anything you want."

"Uh…" Ceres begins, looking unsure of this suggestion. She turns to her other father.

"Give it a chance," Vidcund states.

Ceres gives a small smile then turns back to Loki, "Okay," she answers, "Then I want to go to the butterfly garden."

"Wha-? Oh, that's…super," Loki states, his stomach dropping as his greatest fear is mentioned, "Cause who doesn't love butterflies, right? That sounds fantastic," Loki gulps, suddenly feeling rather lightheaded.

"Uh, Loki? Are you feeling okay?" Vidcund wonders, standing up from the carpet to check on him.

"Fine. I'm fine. This is Ceres's day, so we're going to do whatever she wants… _even if it kills me_ ," he mutters before forcing an overly enthusiastic smile, "Let's go," Loki declares, grabbing Ceres by the arm and leading her out the entrance.

…

"Welcome parents, children, and loners to the Strangetown Butterfly Garden!" Ashley, the sixteen-year-old, auburn-haired tour guide, states, standing in the center of the beautiful glass dome and holding her hands up to the heavens. Ceres looks up at the colorful foliage and takes a picture. "This garden, built in 1993, is home to over seventy-three different varieties of butterflies."

"Yeah, lady, you said that seven times already, don't you have any new information?" Loki barks, dressed from head to toe in a solid black, rubber protective suit as he cautiously scans the area.

"Sir, I keep telling you, you can't shout in the garden. This is a peaceful place," Ashley reminds the paranoid father, "Now in a few moments, we'll see what many refer to as the most glorious sunset in the world. We just have to wait eight minutes," she states, gesturing towards the wall clock.

Loki walks over and nudges the tour guide in the side. "Pst…I'll give you fifty bucks if you speed this tour along," he states.

Ashley sighs, "I can't speed up the Sun, sir."

"Now I know you're not a scientist."

"Look, Dad," Ceres whispers, tagging on Loki's sleeve, "I'm so still, one of the butterflies is sitting on my shoulder."

Loki abruptly turns around, eyeing the pink butterfly resting on Ceres's yellow shirt sleeve. He shrieks and hides behind a fountain, causing several other members of the tour to flash him bizarre looks.

Ashley stares down at Ceres and pats her sympathetically. "I'm so sorry," she says. Ceres shrugs and looks across the room at Loki, who is terrified out of his mind. Ashley steps forward and claps her hands together, turning towards the rest of the guests as she sports the biggest smile she can muster. "Alright, everyone. Before I let all of you freely explore the garden, I'm going to need a volunteer for a special demonstration."

Behind the water fountain, Loki watches as Ceres stands by herself on the left side of the room, crowds of happy families standing on the other. _"What are you doing, idiot? You're going to lose her!"_ he screams in his mind.

"I'll do it!" Loki exclaims, stepping out from behind the fountain to rejoin the group, causing several onlookers to stare up in shock. "Whatever it is, I'll do it."

"Dad, no," Ceres speaks up, stepping towards him and grabbing ahold of his arm, "You don't have to do this. I already know that you love me."

"Yes, but I want to prove to everyone that I love you more than I hate butterflies," Loki replies, giving a small gulp before turning to Ashley, who is now busy on her phone checking her text messages, "So lay whatever it is on me before I change my mind."

"Yeah, I don't think so," Ashley replies, slipping her phone back into her pocket and glaring up at Loki, "In fact, I'm going to have to ask you and your daughter to leave now, Mr. Beaker."

Loki cocks his forehead in confusion. "What? Why?"

"Cause, I just got word that you hated on Karen Peterson's potato salad," Ashley replies, crossing her arms in a huff as Loki continues to appear confused, "Karen's my mother!" she barks, getting up in the scientist's face. Loki steps back slightly. His fists are clenched, but he doesn't want to embarrass his daughter, who is watching the entire confrontation from a few feet away.

Mere seconds later, Ceres steps in front of her father, "Then tell her that her potato salad still sucks!" she cries, embracing her inner sass.

" _What_?!" Ashley squeaks.

"You heard my daughter," Loki smirks, wrapping his arm around Ceres and patting her shoulder, "It's only thing she's ever made that was more disappointing than you," he quips, "Now give me my eleven fifty back so I can take this kid out for ice cream!" Loki barks, gesturing to Ceres, who is sporting a smug smile next to him.

Ashley shakes her head, finally picking her mouth up from off the floor. "No," she replies, "I'm not giving you a cent, so you better get out of here now!"

"We're not leaving!" Loki shouts, glaring the young woman in the eyes, "And there's nothing you can do to make us!"

Ashley smiles and picks up her walkie-talkie, "Security!" she chimes.

Loki's eyes widen as the tour guide holds down the call button. He grabs Ceres's hand, "Okay, let's go!" Loki chimes, leading her out the door.

…

Twenty-five minutes later, Loki and Ceres race through the front entrance of the Beaker estate and slam the double doors, the pair trying to catch their breaths as they both lean up against the wooden doors.

"So, how'd it go?" Vidcund asks, standing up from his place on the living room sofa, his face filled with concern.

"Well, we got banned," Loki states as Ceres departs for the living room.

Vidcund rolls his eyes, "Of course."

"But she loves me, and I feel like the greatest parent in the world," Loki adds, giving a smile, "And the best part is I'll never have to go to that terrible place again!" he exclaims, moving his hands down his sides. Loki glides down his waist once more, his pockets feeling surprising empty. "Shit, I forgot my wallet," he curses, moseying over to the staircase, "Atom!" he shouts, "Can you go to the butterfly garden and get my wallet back from that crazy tour guide?"

"Sure!" Atom screams down the stairs.

"Yep," Loki grins with a sigh, "the best father ever," he repeats as Vidcund groans and facepalms next to him.


	3. Circe's Wedding

**Snapshots From A New Strangetown**

 _Chapter_ _Three –_ _Circe's Wedding_

The sun rises on a calm Saturday morning, illuminating the shiny remains of Strangetown's signature alien spaceship amidst the walls of the crater. Nearby, though indoors, Loki Beaker is sprawled out on his living room couch glued to Ceres' tablet. "Come on, why won't you love me?!" Loki cries, staring down at the life simulation onscreen.

Vidcund walks into the front room carrying a large paper bag of groceries, the twins running in after him, each carrying a bag of their own. Vidcund puts the bag down on the end table by the door and lets out a heavy sigh before turning his attention to Loki. "Hey," Vidcund greets, stopping at the back of the couch. He raises an eyebrow at him, "You're still playing that game? You haven't put that thing down since yesterday."

Loki sighs, moving the tablet down just enough so Vidcund can see him roll his eyes, "This is not a game, Vid, it's a way of life. Look! I even made the two of us," Loki replies, turning the screen towards him.

Vidcund cocks his forehead. He grabs the tablet from Loki and squints down at the character who is supposed to resemble himself. "That's funny, I don't recall having that big of a butt-"

"Yeah, well, you know, the game exaggerates some features," Loki responds, quickly snatching the tablet from Vidcund and holding it defensively behind his back. Loki swifts his eyes and stands up. He walks towards the kitchen, leaving his boyfriend behind in the living room. Vidcund scrunches his forehead, sticks his butt out, and looks down at his backside.

"Huh," he states, jumping a bit as Ceres races over to him.

"Guess what, Dad? The mailman showed up early today!" Ceres chimes, holding a rather large stack of mail in her hands.

"Thanks, honey," Vidcund replies, grabbing the mail from her and rifling through a few of the letters. He stops when he comes across a letter with a peculiar address on it. Vidcund opens it up, smiles, and walks over to Loki, who is unpacking some of the groceries into the kitchen cabinet with Atom. "Hey, look! An invitation to Circe's fifth wedding!" Vidcund announces, holding up the lavishly-decorated invitation.

"You're joking," Loki says, turning away from the cabinet at this news, "You mean she actually invited us?"

"Well, the envelope says, 'Vidcund Curious plus one colossal piece of shit' – which I assume is referring to you," Vidcund answers, pointing to the front of the envelope.

Loki narrows his eyes at the text and laughs. "Aww! You gotta love that woman," he states, "So, who's she marrying this time?"

"Some guy named Brian Dookahlukabenzene," Vidcund says, staring down at the card.

"Geez! That's a mouthful," Loki remarks, taking the card from Vidcund and eyeing the photo of the happy couple kissing in the forest. "Eh, it won't last. He's not evil enough for her. If she keeps picking out these daisies, she'll never stayed married for long."

"That's not true. What about Charlene?" Vidcund reminds him, "She was surprisingly sweet."

"Yeah," Loki agrees, "It's too bad she was crushed by that Murphy bed," he adds, hanging his head in sorrow. "So, are we going to this thing or what?"

Vidcund cocks his forehead slightly, unable to believe what he is hearing, "You seriously want to go to this after Circe insulted you on the invitation?"

"Duh," Loki answers, smirking down at the photo of Circe and her new fiancé, "She obviously doesn't want me there, so of course I have to make an appearance. I'm not going to let Circe one-up me! Plus, I want to meet this train wreck of a husband that she's trying to morph into Loki 2.0."

"I hate to burst your bubble, Loki, but I'm pretty sure she's over you," Vidcund says as Loki crosses his arms and shoots his boyfriend a disbelieving glare, "But if we do go to this, who's going to watch the kids?"

"Eh, just get Erin to do it. The twins love her."

…

A few weeks later, Loki and Vidcund step into an extravagant church deep in the city of Strangetown, the pair dressed in their best formal wear. "Wow. This place is phenomenal!" Vidcund awes from the front archway into the columned building, "But why I am being struck with déja vu?"

"Vid, this is the same church Circe and I got married at," Loki remarks, stepping back to eye the large number of sims in the main part of the church. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" he cries, the pews almost entirely filled with residents, "How the hell are we supposed to find a seat?"

"Hey guys!" Pascal chimes cheerily from the middle of Circe's section, "I saved you a seat!"

Upon seeing his chief scientific rival, Loki rolls his eyes and turns towards the door, "That's it. I'm leaving!" Vidcund grabs Loki by the shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. Loki sighs and stares up at the ceiling, "Fine. We'll sit next to the dork, but you better sit in the middle, so he doesn't talk to me about potatoes."

…

"Dearly beloved, we're gathered here today to join Brian Dookahlukabenzene and Circe Beaker-Schwartz-Fitzgerald-Thompson in holy matrimony," the priest declares onstage in front of the bridge and groom. Smack dab in the middle of the crowded pews, Loki raises his eyebrow at this news as the priest goes into a lengthy speech about love and understanding before allowing the couple to say their vows.

"I promise I will love you forever, Brian," Circe states lovingly as she stares into Brian's eyes at the front of the alter, "AND NOT LEAVE YOU FOR YOUR EX-BOYFRIEND ON OUR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!" she blares, shooting her ex-husband a death glare.

Vidcund shivers in place and turns to the side, eyeing his older brother, Pascal, who has fallen asleep in the pew somewhere between the speech about honesty and Circe's rant about being faithful to one another. Vidcund nudges Loki in the side, still staring strangely at his brother, "Can you believe Pascal fell a-" Vidcund turns to the right only to find Loki fast asleep next to him, "-sleep," Vidcund completes. He shakes his head and groans.

"By the power vested in me by the city of Strangetown, I now pronounce you husband and wife!" the priest proclaims forty minutes later at the front of the church.

"Wake up, Loki!" Vidcund whisper-exclaims. Pascal is still in a deep slumber leaning against his shoulder while Loki is sprawled out on top of Vidcund, drooling into his chest. Vidcund nudges Loki to the side, causing the physicist to groggily sit up in his seat.

"You may now kiss the bride!"

"Which one's the bride?" Loki quips, just loud enough for the row in front of them to hear. Several of the nearby sims turn and shoot glares at him. Next to Loki, Vidcund looks positively horrified.

" _Loki_!"

…

"Well, that was a complete borefest in every sense of the word," Loki comments as the pair exits the church and heads towards the reception hall.

Vidcund nods, "To be honest, I thought she'd stop inviting us after wedding number two."

"Hey, she invited you. I was just your plus one," Loki adds, stepping into the banquet hall. They find their seats at the back table wedged between the DJ booth and the entrance to the bathroom.

"Well, this is a step up," Vidcund chimes, pulling out a chair and sitting down next to his lover.

Loki scans the area, his face in a ponder. "Hmm...I'd say about three days," he states.

Vidcund tilts his forehead, "Three days until what?"

"Three days until this marriage goes down the tubes," Loki clarifies, "There's no way he's going to survive for long," he adds, staring at the happy couple on the dance floor, "These weddings are jokes, Vidcund. Circe is not going to stay with any of these losers. She needs to stop kidding around and just date your brother."

"Yeah…wait _what_?" Vidcund replies, "Surely, you're not talking about Pascal. Now that's just ridiculous."

"I'm serious, Vid, he's the only person who she's ever treated like an actual human being," Loki says, staring at Pascal, who is sniffing the punch bowl, "He's done some pretty stupid shit, and she still keeps him around."

"I don't think that's because she wants him, I think that's because he took her in right after you kicked her out twelve years ago," Vidcund adds in-point.

"Well, what else was I supposed to do? I wasn't going to have you two living under the same roof, that would've just been awkward!" Loki cries, throwing his hand up, "And it was my house, she didn't pay a dime!"

Vidcund sighs, placing his hand over Loki's on the table, "All I'm saying is you could've handled that better, and you definitely need to move on."

Loki sighs about to open his mouth in protest when the bride and groom approach their table. "Oh no…" Vidcund mutters.

"Ah, I see you two came," Circe smirks, the whiteness of her dress hurting her ex-lover's eyes. She turns to her husband, "Brian, this is Vidcund," she begins, before turning to the sly physicist to the right, "and the saddest excuse for a human being the world has ever seen, my ex-husband, Loki."

"Wow," Loki speaks up, standing up from the table to stare Circe in the eyes, "I'm surprised you could say that all in one breath. I guess that's not too surprisingly though, considering the length of your last name."

"I kept your last name, _sweetheart_ , because it was the only good thing about you," Circe retorts, the tone of the pet name causing Loki to cringe. "Anyway, this is Brian, my new husband."

"Nice to meet you, Brian," Loki says, doing his best to fake interest as he shakes the young man's hand. He waits until Circe leaves the premises to go to the bathroom and lets go of Brian's hand, "Just a heads up – run while you can," he advises before leaning over and whispering in Brian's ear, "I'm serious, I'm the only one of her ex-spouses who's still alive. Get out of here quick or else you'll be buried in the dirt next week." Brian's eyes widen. Loki leans back from the shaky sim and pats him hard on the back, "Well, have a nice marriage!" he beams. Loki nudges Vidcund in the side, "He's a goner."

Brian clears his throat, doing his best to keep his composure. "So, you're Loki?" his question sounding more like a statement of fact. "Circe told me a lot about you. To tell you the truth, I thought you didn't exist."

"No, he's very real," Vidcund confirms with a smile.

Brian nods, "I see," he states, turning his attention to Vidcund as Loki wanders away from them, "And you must be the pushover he left her for."

" _Really_?" Vidcund remarks, his eyebrows scrunched, "That's all Circe said about me? She didn't even mention that we dated twice?"

Brian laughs and playfully slaps his knee. "No, but that's a good one."

"I'm serious!" Vidcund chimes, watching as Brian wipes his eyes during a fit of laughter as he heads away from the table, "We dated for five years! I dated her the longest of anyone!" Vidcund calls after the groom, "Why is it so hard for people to believe that?"

Meanwhile, Loki is standing near the dessert table inspecting the wedding cake, which is surprisingly simple and inexpensive-looking for someone with Circe's taste. Loki steps back and checks out the rest of the food tables, which are all drab in décor. His eyes finally land on the biggest eyesore in the room: a vintage, yet overly-cutesy photo booth. Loki sighs and walks up to Circe, who is standing a few feet away from him on the dance floor. She is talking to a group of sims he has never seen before. He taps her on the shoulder, Circe nearly speechless when she meets his gaze.

"You don't like any of this stuff," he states.

"What?" Circe squeaks, "Yes, I do," she answers, quickly moving away from the crowd.

Loki rolls his eyes at the gray, cement ceiling. "Please!" he chimes, "Thirteen years ago, if I would've suggested that we had a photo booth at our wedding reception, you would've slapped me in the face!" Loki recalls, pointing at his face in emphasis, "This wedding isn't you. You've turned soft, Circe."

"I have not!" Circe barks, her face turning red in response, "And you're just jealous that I've found someone who actually gets me!"

"Really? What's his name? Can I meet him?" Loki sassily responds. Circe glares at Loki and hits him with her bouquet, causing him to fall back into the photo booth. She joins him and closes the curtain.

"Face it, Loki, you're just upset that Brian jumped on the opportunity to marry me, but Vidcund literally took off at the thought of marrying you!" she growls.

"Circe," Loki leans up against the wall, "You're saying these things like I care about them. I have limited emotions. You of all people should know that!" Loki looks up, now noticing the longing gaze that Circe is giving him, "Oh God! Are you turned on by this argument?"

"Just shut up and kiss me!" Circe lounges forward, but Loki turns to the side causing them both to fall onto the curtain instead. They fall out of the photo booth, Circe landing on top of Loki, the incident instantly catching the attention of the entire hall of wedding goers. Loki coughs, the extremity of the frills on Circe's dress causing him to choke.

"Circe! What the hell is going on here?!" Brian cries as Vidcund approaches the couple on the floor. He helps Loki off the ground, who immediately reaches over to the photo booth and snatches the strip of photos from the machine.

"She came onto me. See?" Loki exclaims, holding the strip of photos out to the men.

Brian scans them over, unable to believe what he is seeing. "Circe, is this true?"

Circe sighs, looking over the photos herself, realizing she has been caught red-handed. "Yes," she states, "I'm sorry, Brian, but you're just not evil enough for me. I want a divorce."

"Told you," Loki whispers, nudging Vidcund in the side.

Twenty-five minutes later, Vidcund and Loki exit the reception hall. The pair walk towards their car, the stars in the night sky lighting up the parking lot around them.

"I still don't get why they invited us to the annulment ceremony," Loki mutters, his hands in his pockets as he stares up at the moon, in a surprisingly good mood considering the large number of curse words that were hurled his way as he exited the building.

"I'm just impressed they were able to nullify their marriage so fast," Vidcund adds. He turns to the side, now noticing a gigantic smirk on Loki's face, "What?"

"I knew she would never be able to replace me."

Vidcund rolls his eyes at the sky, "Shut-up," he states.


	4. A Marie Curie Halloween

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! This is my first time writing a Halloween chapter. I hope you enjoy it! :D

* * *

 **Snapshots From A New Strangetown**

 _Chapter Four_ _– A Marie Curie Halloween_

Strangetown's resident supervillain is lounging on the living room couch of his lavish estate on 1 Tesla Court. The grandfather clock from the upstairs sitting room chimes through the house, striking six o'clock on Halloween evening as he flips through the newest issue of Evil Science Monthly.

Loki sighs as he sets down the magazine slightly, basking in the silence of the room. "Ah, Halloween. The only day where it's acceptable to be a villain," he states before returning to the rather egregious letters to the editor.

After a few lines of mindless drivel, Loki slowly moves down the magazine. He locks eyes with the twins, Atom and Ceres, who are standing a mere two feet away from the couch, each of them decked out in their Halloween costumes. They flash gigantic smiles at him.

"We're ready to go trick-or-treating!" Atom chimes, barely able to see through his robot mask.

"Okay. Have fun," Loki shrugs, instantly returning to his magazine. He reads a few more lines, but the twins don't budge. Irritated, Loki slowly pulls down the magazine and stares at them. "What?"

"Dad said you would take us," Ceres chimes, rolling on her heels as she clasps her hands behind her lab coat.

"Yeah, well, your father says a lot of things," Loki replies monotone, "Go on now," he states, shooing them towards the door.

Ceres steps back slightly, a troubled look on her face. "But we can't go by ourselves. We're only ten years old!" Next to her, Atom nods in agreement.

"Fine," Loki rolls his eyes and gets up off the couch, "Vidcund!" he calls up the staircase, "Vidcund?" Loki shouts once more before trekking up the staircase himself. He approaches the master bedroom and knocks on the door. "Vidcund, the twins want to go trick-or-treating. Are you going to take them or not?"

Loki steps into the dimly-lit bedroom only to find Vidcund sitting on the bed, surrounded by discarded, snotty tissues. Vidcund sneezes, his forehead on fire, and quickly waves Loki back towards the door. "No, don't come in. I'm really sick. I think I have the flu," he moans, sneezing once more, "I can't go out tonight. I told the kids to go trick-or-treating with you."

"Oh _no_ ," Loki growls, quickly shooing away the thought, "I am not going around house to house with one of those stupid plastic pumpkin pails begging people for candy! That would really tarnish my villainous image, Vid," Loki claims, crossing his arms, "And it took years to get that back up after Atom's sugarplum princess dance recital! I mean, sure, it was a great show, but the décor was mediocre at best. Not to mention the refreshments-"

"Okay, fine," Vidcund sighs, his head aching from his partner's rant, "if you really don't want to go out trick-or-treating, then just take the kids to my brother's house. I'm sure Pascal's taking Tycho out; he'll let the twins tag along."

Loki huffs and stares up at the ceiling. "Yeah, like I would trust Pascal with the super twins. He'd probably lose them in the woods again!"

"That was one time…and that was you," Vidcund remarks.

"Alright, I made up my mind, I'll take the kids," Loki concludes with a glare, "but only because if I leave the house, there won't be anyone here to pass out candy to the neighborhood weirdos," he states, racing out of the room before Vidcund can say another word.

Loki walks over to the twins, who are waiting for him by the front door. "Atom, Ceres, come on. Let's go get some candy," he says, holding the door open for them as he eyes their costumes in confusion, "What are you two dressed as anyway?"

Atom and Ceres stop on the front porch and beam at their father. "I am Cyclotron," Atom states as he moves his arms robotically.

"And I'm Marie Curie, the famous chemist _and_ physicist!" Ceres announces, pointing to the beaker embroidered on the front of her lab coat.

Loki stares down at his daughter, "God, that costume screams Vidcund," he mutters.

"No, silly. It was last year when we dressed like Dad!" Ceres declares as the three of them make their way down the front steps. Atom nearly trips when they reach the bottom, but Loki grabs him by the shoulders.

"Sorry," Atom squeaks, "It's kinda hard to see through this thing," he says, pointing to his robot mask.

"Yeesh, what did your father do to the house?" Loki wonders, eyeing the orange lights lining the pathway and the cutesy Halloween decorations that are covering the front lawn, "It's not very scary…"

"Ooh! Look at all the people out!" Ceres chimes, pointing down the Road to Nowhere, which is filled with decorated houses and trick-or-treaters. "Come on, Atom. Let's go before all the good candy's gone!" Atom nods and runs after his sister, stopping at the first house.

A minute later, Loki catches up to them and huffs, attempting to catch his breath.

"Trick or treat!" the twins' voices ring as they stand on the front porch. A nice, elderly woman answers the door.

"Why, you kids look adorable!" she chimes, putting a few pieces of candy in their pails. She turns to Loki, "Nice mask!" she adds, handing him a candy bar.

Loki scrunches his forehead, "But I'm not-" he stares down at the wrapper and examines its contexts. "Ah, what the hell?" Loki shrugs, tearing open the wrapper and taking a bite of the candy bar.

Atom and Ceres thank the woman, then race over to the next house, joining a crowd of children already standing on the front porch. "Trick or treat!" they shout with them, inching their way towards the door.

"That's right, kids! Shove your way to the front!" Loki shouts from the front lawn, cupping his mouth with his hands, "Knock down those other children!" Loki steps back, locking eyes with the head of the PTA, Karen Peterson, who is shooting him a distasteful glare. " _Karen_ ," he acknowledges.

" _Loki_ ," she responds coldly before flashing her best fake smile, "I haven't seen you at the PTA meetings."

"Yeah, well, I've been busy," Loki replies, his arms crossed.

"Rumor has it, you're unemployed and still terrible at raising your children," she smirks.

"Rumor has it, your potato salad still sucks, and I'm the greatest parent ever," Loki remarks as Atom and Ceres race over to him, Atom holding the entire candy dish. "Now Atom, if you're going to steal, then at least share with your sister," he states, sticking his tongue out at Karen before setting foot towards the next house.

"Daddy, can you hold my pail?" Ceres asks, giving Loki puppy eyes.

Loki sighs and takes the neon pink pumpkin pail from his daughter, reluctantly holding the piece of plastic in his hands as the twins race to the next house. "Oh, great. It's pink. Even better," he mutters as a teenager races by on a scooter and snaps a photo, "Hey! Get back here, you!" Loki shouts after the young man as he flies down the street, "Don't post that on the internet!"

"Hey Loki!" a familiar, irritating voice shouts from across the street.

"Oh no," Loki mutters, covering his face with his hand and letting out a groan.

"Loki! Great to see you!" Pascal greets as he approaches him, dressed like a giant alien spaceship.

"I wish I could say the same…wait, no I don't," Loki quickly remarks before staring at Pascal's costume and taking it all in, "Uh…aren't you a little old to be dressing up?"

"Normally I would agree with you, but Tycho didn't have a costume this year, so he decided to go as himself while I wore the matching costume."

"I'm confused," Loki states, "Why didn't you just not dress up and have him wear the spaceship costume instead?"

"Because I-" Pascal waves his arm down and laughs, carelessly dismissing the suggestion, "Oh Loki, always trying to make things so confusing," he chimes, wiping a single tear from his eye.

Ten houses later, the trio reaches Dead End Lane, Loki's feet aching from the solid thirty minutes of trick-or-treating. Atom and Ceres race up to the front porch, spying the single bowl of candy that has been left out in front of Olive Specter's old residence.

"Alright kids. Just grab the candy and run before we come across something _really_ scary!" Loki calls out, standing near the edge of the property as a woman clears her throat. He turns to the side only to find his ex-wife flashing him a smirk from a few feet away. "Too late," he mutters.

"So, you decided to come to my neck of the woods after all," Circe coos, crossing her arms, "You must miss having me in your life."

"No, I really don't," Loki assures her, "The kids just wanted to hit all the houses," he explains as Atom and Ceres join him, each holding up their pails of candy. "Atom, Ceres, this is Circe," Loki introduces, the twins staring at the strange woman in bewilderment, "As you can see, she's dressed like a witch. A part she plays well," he smirks.

"Wow, Loki," Circe replies, folding her arms over her classic, everyday attire, "Good to know you still have the maturity of a five-year-old," she comments, doing a brief scan of the area, "Where's Mr. Responsible?"

"He's not feeling well. He said the thought of seeing you made him sick."

"Ha-hah, very funny," Circe sarcastically replies, her mouth in a line before glancing down at Ceres' costume, "Marie Curie?" she guesses, Ceres nods, "Adorable," Circe adds before cocking her forehead at Loki, "Well, at least you did something right," she remarks, giving a half-hearted wave as she heads towards her house.

"Happy Halloween!" Ceres chimes.

A few houses later, Loki and the twins are heading towards the opposite end of the Road to Nowhere. "Daddy, when are we going to go to Aunt Erin's house?" Ceres wonders.

"Aunt Erin lives in the city, Ceres," Loki answers, "That's a two-hour drive from here."

"Aww!" the twins collectively groan. "But we really want to see her," Atom adds, "Can't you drive us there?"

Loki scrunches his eyebrows, seriously pondering this over. "Don't you two have school tomorrow?"

"Yes," Atom nods.

"Perfect. You can skip it. Let's go!" Loki chimes, not giving it a second thought.

Two hours later, the trio arrive at the doorway of Erin's modest one-level townhouse. The fuchsia building covered with pumpkin decorations from head to toe. Atom and Ceres race to the front door and frantically ring the doorbell. A tired Erin answers the door wearing bright pink pajamas, her grumpy demeanor instantly shifting when she sees who disturbed her at eleven at night.

"Atom, Ceres. It's so great to see you!" Erin beams as the twins throw their arms around her, "Even if it is close to midnight," she adds, shooting her older brother a glare. She reaches into her house and holds out two caramel apples. "Where's Vidcund?" she wonders.

"He couldn't make it. He's not feeling well," Loki replies as Atom and Ceres dig into their treats.

Erin perks up a little. "Why? Is his brother's marriage on the rocks?"

"What? No," Loki quickly replies, "At least, I don't think so," he adds, "I don't know. I don't talk to Crystal much anymore."

"Well, I'm still glad you guys came. You guys can meet my robot."

"You have a ROBOT?!" Atom cries, racing up towards the doorway, almost knocking his sister over in the process.

A few hours later, Loki is driving back to Strangetown in the family car. Atom and Ceres are sitting in the backseat, still thrilled from their visit to their aunt's house.

"Wow! This was the best Halloween ever!" Ceres chimes, holding onto her pink pumpkin pail, "Thanks Dad."

"Yeah, can we get a robot?" Atom asks, bouncing in his seat as he stares out the car window.

"Eh, ask your father," Loki quickly mutters, "Now remember kids, eat all your candy at once so you don't get a stomachache," he advises as the digital car radio flips to three o'clock, "Kids?" Loki looks in the front mirror only to find Ceres and Atom fast asleep in the backseat. " _Aww…if I had a heart, it would be melting right now…oh well!_ " Loki shrugs as he rounds the corner of Tesla Court.

Loki drives down the street, only to find their castle surrounded by patrol cars, the sounds of the cars' sirens waking the twins up. "Oh right. I never told your father we were leaving," he realizes, "Well, there goes two thousand simoleons."


	5. Strangetown Mall Catastrophe

**Snapshots From A New Strangetown**

 _Chapter Five – Strangetown Mall Catastrophe_

It's twelve hours after the biggest holiday in Strangetown and hundreds of sims are roaming the halls of Strangetown Mall eager to stock up on bargains for the Christmas holiday that is right around the corner. Deep in the heart of the mall, past a mountain of seven-five-percent-off Halloween decorations, an elaborate holiday display is set up resembling Santa's workshop. Dozens of parents and their children stand off to the side of it waiting for their turn to see the one and only Santa Claus while mall vendors dressed like elves attempt to lure them into buying expensive photo packages.

Near the back of the line, Vidcund and the twins are standing along the candy cane rope, awaiting their turn. Behind them, Loki sighs and stares impatiently down at his watch, looking as though he is going to take off any second to do something more worth his time. "This is pathetic," Loki moans, tapping Vidcund on the shoulder. His boyfriend turns around, "What kind of parent rushes to take their children to see some guy dressed up in a poorly-made Santa suit the day after Halloween?" Loki turns to the side and locks eyes with the two children that are standing behind him. The children stare at the former physicist bizarrely. Loki smirks and leans down to their level. "That's right, kids. I'm a non-believer," he coos before spookily wiggling his fingers in front of them, "OooooOOoh!"

Vidcund yanks Loki forward by the arm, moving him away from the children. Vidcund sighs and rubs his aching forehead. "Why did you even come to this if you're just going to complain the whole time?" he wonders.

"Because I love complaining, it gives me such a warm feeling on the inside," Loki answers, reaching over the candy cane rope and grabbing a cup from a nearby stand. He takes a sip and makes a face, "Ack, disgusting! You call this hot chocolate?!" he cries.

"No," one of the vendors states from the other side of the rope, "That's vinegar. We use it to clean the stands."

"Oh," Loki says, staring down at the cup in his hands, "In that case, it's not bad," he mutters as a bunch of the parents around him turn and flash Loki a glare. Vidcund groans and hides his face with his hand. Loki cocks his forehead, "What?"

Twenty minutes later, Vidcund, Loki, and the twins are still standing in the line to see Santa Claus, Loki growing impatient with each passing second. They round the corner, finally getting a glimpse of the jolly fat man sitting on his throne. Loki leans toward Vidcund and rolls his eyes, "Psh, that's not the real Santa," he mutters, his arms crossed, "We buried him in the desert _years_ ago-" Vidcund nudges Loki in the side and scowls.

"Shut up…"

"Hey Dad, look! We can check to see if we're on the nice list!" Ceres chimes, bouncing up and down as she points to a large scroll of paper situated a couple of feet beyond the candy cane rope.

"Yeah! Can we check it?" Atom asks next to her, "I've been _really_ good this year!" he promises before slipping another plastic ornament from a nearby Christmas tree into his pocket.

Vidcund quickly takes the item from Atom and hangs it back on the tree. "Uh, I'm pretty sure that list is for show."

Loki rolls his eyes, "Psh, that's what they want you to think!" he remarks, already unraveling the list in his hands and staring down at its contents. "Now let's see here: Judy Reeves, Andrew Benson, Loki Beaker?" Loki squeaks, looking up from the list in shock. "Obviously Santa didn't have the time to check this list twice."

"Are you sure you grabbed the right one?" Vidcund smirks.

"You're right. This is probably for the bad residents," Loki concludes. He collects the list and hands it to the twins, "Here kids, go nuts."

A security guard dressed in white and red stripes approaches them. "Sir, that's the third time today you've taken something from the North Pole. We're going to have to ask you to step out of line."

Loki stares up at the security guard, surprisingly unfazed by his words. "Finally! I've been trying to get out of this all day!" he beams before turning to his children. "Alright, kids. Now you can either wander the mall with me and have the time of your young lives, or you can stay here and have a boring existence with your father."

Atom and Ceres look to each other before racing over to Vidcund and latching onto his legs. Vidcund cocks his head and flashes his partner a smug smile.

"Okay, geez," Loki speaks up, "No need to rub it in." Loki hops over the candy cane rope, his left leg getting caught on it in the process. He jerks his leg forward, causing all the rope stands to fall over and the entire nice-list display to collapse. The parents release a collective groan. "See you later, cutie," Loki waves to Vidcund, "Kids," he nods in acknowledgement.

Five minutes later, Loki is wandering the mall taking in the sights of the overly-commercialized holiday. He sighs, his hands in his pockets, as he breathes in the minty air. Loki coughs, almost choking on it.

"Hey Loki!" a familiar, irritating voice chimes out behind him. Loki cringes when he hears it. "Are you here to see Santa too?"

Loki stops in his tracks and turns around, meeting Pascal's gaze. He steps back and scans over the scientist, who is dressed in a flashy, cluttered Christmas sweater. Next to him, Pascal's son, Tycho, is staring into the bookstore.

"No, Pascal, I am not here to see Santa," Loki groans, "Believe me, I've been there and done that _dozens_ of times-" he stops suddenly, thinking his word choice over, "Wait, that's not what I meant-"

"Well, we're here to see Santa, too," Pascal beams, clearly tuning his rival out, "I want to ask him why he gave me a green potato instead of a purple one. It was pretty huge crisis in the city last year, you probably heard about it."

Loki scrunches his forehead, trying his best to follow the conversation. "I have not-"

"And of course, Tycho wants to ask for a mother again this year," Pascal continues, lowering his voice a tad as he leans toward Loki's ear, "He's been kind of down since Circe moved out. They still talk all the time, but he really wants me to find someone."

"Why don't you just date her?" Loki suggests, "She split up with Brian Dookahlukabenzene months ago."

Pascal steps backward and laughs. "You know, you're the third person to tell me that. Could you imagine _me_ back on the dating scene? It took me fifteen therapy sessions to forget it," Pascal adds as Tycho walks over and taps him on the shoulder. Tycho shyly gestures to the food court. "Yeah, well, we're gonna go stock up on cheese before we see Santa Claus," he says, pointing his thumb over his shoulder, "Catch you later, gator!"

Loki sighs as he rubs his throbbing temples. "I swear that guy gets crazier every year," he mumbles before reaching into his pocket and pulling out his Christmas list. "Well, if I'm going to be stuck here all day, I may as well try to find something for the kids. Hmm…now what's that thing Atom's really obsessed with?" Loki ponders, scratching his chin as he stands in the center of the hallway.

"-Robots!" a random sim shouts out behind him.

Loki waves his arm down, "No, that's not it." He walks down the hallway, passing by a candy store, a toy store, and a robotics store in the process before finally settling on a store entitled 'Antiques for the Uniques.' Loki nods and picks up a sulfur-colored rock.

"Ooh, this one's two hundred simoleons," he awes, picking up a sparkly, speckled rock next to it, "Perfect!" Loki declares, setting the first rock back into the bucket. He steps away from the table only to linger back mere seconds later, "On second thought, I better buy the whole display. The twins can share it, children love rocks!" he insists.

Loki steps out of the store, dragging the bucket of rocks across the mall's fancy, white tile. The bucket leaves smudges on the surface. "And that just leaves Vidcund," he states, stopping for a brief period to take a breather. Loki sets the bucket of rocks next to a nearby department store and prepares to walk in. "You know, the real present would be not causing a scene, but you can't always get everything you want for Christmas."

Two seconds later, Loki bursts through the double doorway and storms into the department store. Loki points to a clerk behind the counter, who is busy bagging a customer's clothing items, "Hey, you! Get over here! I need to find something for my boyfriend."

"I can help you with that, sir," a friendly young woman beams out behind him. Loki turns around and locks eyes with the woman, who is dressed in a blue, light up Christmas sweater and black leggings.

"I guess," he mutters, "but none of that festive holiday crap!"

"So, why don't you tell me a little about your boyfriend," the worker states, leading Loki away from the holiday crowd.

"Well, he's blonde and wears pants and likes plants in a creepy way," Loki lists, not bothering to filter, "And he has the world's best taste in romantic partners."

"I agree with that statement," yet another familiar voice rings nearby.

Loki groans as he turns toward Circe, who is dressed in all black and wearing a name tag on her shirt which reads 'Floor Manager.' "Oh great, what are you doing here?" Loki frowns, "Why is everyone I know at the mall on a Thursday in November?"

"Well, to answer your first question, I work here three days a week during the holiday season. The store needed someone with vigor to handle the winter months, and after all my success last year, they practically begged me to come back," Circe informs him, crossing her arms, "I'm here in this department because I just received a call about a rowdy customer. As soon as I heard the words 'maniac', 'unpleasant' and 'disturbance', I knew it was you," she smirks. "So, you need help finding a present for the man you left me for?" she coos, "You can always try proposing again. Or do you not want to see how fast he can run?"

"Wow, you are never going to let that go, are you?" Loki replies as the worker awkwardly steps away from the pair to watch this debacle, "Why can't you just be happy that I found someone who's better than you in every single way?"

Circe gives a nose laugh. " _Right_ ," she grins, "I don't think even you believe that statement. Face it, sweetheart, I'm smarter, hotter, and more ambitious than your little boytoy!" she claims, before reaching into her pocket to answer a call on her store walkie-talkie.

Loki steps forward, his face fuming as he watches Circe turn away from him and sashay down the hallway. "Yeah, well, AT LEAST THE SEX IS BETTER!" he screams.

The store instantly goes silent.

Loki turns around only to find two muscular security guards towering above him. He rolls his eyes, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're going to have to ask me to leave. I know the drill," Loki mutters, rolling his eyes and picking up his bucket of rocks as he exits the department store.

Loki walks over to the North Pole display and cuts to front of the line. He taps Ceres on the shoulder. "Look, kids. Festive, holiday rocks!" he chimes, presenting the bucket to them. The twins are next in line to see Santa Claus but are immediately mesmerized by the rocks.

"Ooh, look, Ceres!" Atom chimes, reaching into the bucket and pulling out a gray one. "This one's gray like a robot!"

Loki cocks his forehead, "You like robots?" Atom nods, "Huh. Who knew?" Loki shrugs as Ceres digs through the bucket herself in search of a pink one.

"Why did you get the children rocks?" Vidcund wonders, "We have rocks at home."

"Yeah, but those are decorative rocks. These are festive rocks," Loki explains, nudging his partner in the side, "Geez, Vid, learn the difference!"

A mall vendor dressed in an elf costume approaches the front of the line and holds his arms up above them. "We're sorry, everyone, but Santa won't be able to see anyone else today. He has a nasty case of the holiday sniffles."

"Aww," Ceres sighs, hanging her head in disappointment as a bunch of other children do the same behind her, "All that waiting for nothing."

"This is a load of Christmas crap!" Loki blares, stepping in front of his children to glare at the elf, "We waited here all day to see Santa Claus!"

"Uh, no, you didn't," the head of the PTA states behind the family, "You just cut in line two minutes ago."

Loki glares at the mother. "Thanks, Karen Peterson," he mutters, "why don't you just go back home and whip up some of your vomit-inducing potato salad?"

" _Loki!_ " Vidcund calls out, attempting to pull him back by the arm as Karen fumes behind them.

"I'm sorry, sir, but Santa simply won't be able to see anymore children," the elf reiterates, "You're just going to have to come back tomorrow."

"Look at me, elf face," Loki instructs, leaning toward the sim and flashing him a villainous smirk, "Do you really want _me_ to come _back here_ tomorrow?"

The elf immediately shoots his eyes open. "And would you look at that?" he chimes, pretending to look over his shoulder into Santa's workshop, "It turns out Santa can see your children after all," he says, unlatching the rope and gesturing to the twins, "Come on, kids."

"Yay!" Atom and Ceres cheer, jumping up from the floor and racing over to Santa, who is still perched in his throne in front of the workshop. Santa oofs when Atom jumps onto his lap.

Vidcund turns to his boyfriend who is still standing at the front of the line, "Come on, Loki, we need to go with the twins."

"Psh! Why would parents need to go see Santa Claus?' Loki states, reluctantly following his partner, "It's not like they're getting anything out of it."

"And what would you like for Christmas, little girl?" Santa wonders, turning to Ceres, who is perched on the right side of his lap while Atom takes the hat off Santa's head and puts it on his own.

Ceres smiles, "A pink rock."

"It's okay, Ceres. I got that right here!" Loki chimes, pulling a pale pink rock out of the bucket and holding it up to her.

"Really?" Ceres beams, looking the most excited she has all day. She turns to Santa and smiles, "Then I'm good," she states before hopping off his lap and taking the rock from her father.

"And what about you, little boy?" Santa wonders, looking down at Atom, who has stolen yet another plastic ornament from the Christmas tree and has it visibly sticking out of his coat pocket.

"All I want for Christmas this year is a packet of mustard," Atom says.

"Ho, ho, ho, here you go!" Santa chimes, handing Atom a packet of mustard from the food court stand.

Atom takes the mustard packet from Santa and gleefully shrieks. "YES! Thanks Santa!"

…

"Wow," Vidcund states as the four of them exit the mall and walk back to the car a few minutes later. Behind him, Atom is eating the mustard and Ceres is rubbing the rock lovingly against her face, "All that for a packet of mustard."

"I know," Loki replies as he drags the bucket of rocks across the freshly-paved parking lot. He sighs and smiles at the clouds, "It was totally worth it."


	6. Sleepover Party

**Snapshots From A New Strangetown**

 _Chapter Six – Sleepover Party_

Loki is sprawled out on the living room sofa, staring up at the high ceilings as he continues his weekly phone call with his sister, Erin, on a crisp Friday afternoon. " _Well, I went to the doctor yesterday,"_ Erin's voice blares through Loki's cell phone, _"and I have some pretty big news_ -"

Loki sighs as he glances around the room, trying to find something that can mask his boredom. He eyes Vidcund, who is setting a suitcase by the front door. Loki's eyes widen as he immediately springs up from his seat. "Yeah, yeah, that's great Erin," Loki sputters, hanging up his phone before his sister can get another word in. He chunks his cell phone onto the sofa and races over to Vidcund.

"Where are you going?" Loki squeaks, clearly in a panic, "Oh God! Are you leaving me?!" he cries, kneeling in front of his boyfriend with his hands clasped. Loki stares up at Vidcund pleadingly, "Think about the kids, Vid! They know I can't do better!"

In front of him, Vidcund looks confused out of his mind. He raises an eyebrow. "Loki, relax," he states, helping his partner off the floor, "I'm not leaving you for good. I'm just going to the Annual Florist Convention," he clarifies, reaching into the front pocket of his suitcase and pulling out a brochure. Vidcund hands it to Loki. "This year, they have a man-eating iris."

"Florist convention?" Loki repeats as he stares down at the logo, which is a full-body silhouette of a green man with a plant wrapped around his midsection. Loki huffs and crosses his arms over his torso, "Well, that's the first I've heard of it."

"You're joking, right?" Vidcund says, "I've been talking about this convention every day for the past three months! Don't you remember dinner last week?"

 _Ten days earlier, Loki and the twins are sitting at the dinner table with Vidcund, who is rambling on about this year's florist convention. Ceres is hanging onto her father's every word while Atom is only half-listening to the conversation as he molds a robot in his mashed potatoes. Across the table, Loki is digging his spoon into a bowl of tapioca pudding._

" _I'm really looking forward to the event this year. I heard there's going to be over one thousand varieties of flowers!" Vidcund beams._

" _Really?" Ceres squeaks, leaning onto the table in excitement, "Can you bring me back some?"_

" _Sure, sweetie," Vidcund smiles, "As long as it's alright with your father," he says, glancing across the table at Loki, waiting for his response._

 _Loki continues to stare intensely into his pudding. "Ooh…look at the texture of it!" he chimes, bringing the bowl up to his nose and sniffing the service. Vidcund stares at him bizarrely._

Back in the present, Loki releases a loving sigh, "Yeah…that was good pudding," he notes, smiling as he thinks about it, "But you can't leave! You know how emotionally needy I am. If I don't have someone here to laugh at my clever jokes and give me constant validation, I'll shrivel up and die!"

Vidcund rolls his eyes. "Okay, now you're just sounding like an overly-dramatic teenager."

"Right," Loki dubiously mutters, "And why can't I go with you?"

"Because of what happened the last time you went with me," Vidcund answers, snatching the brochure from Loki and sticking it back into his luggage, "They never found Professor Eubank's head," he sighs, "Besides, you'll be fine here with the kids. I'll only be gone for the weekend."

Loki narrows his eyes at Vidcund, a haunting thought racing through his mind. "Jason's not going to be there, is he?" he wonders.

"I don't know," Vidcund shrugs, trying to hide his blush, "Maybe. He is Riverblossom Hills' most popular plant biologist."

"Yeah, that's a real accomplishment," Loki spits, looking less impressed by the second, "He better not try to pick you up again! If he does, tell him I'm going to burn down his garden."

Vidcund sighs and folds his arms, "I am _not_ going to tell him that," he says as the twins run down the stairs and join them.

Ceres throws her arms around Vidcund. "Bye Daddy!"

"Bye sweetheart," Vidcund says, kneeling to hug her. He hugs Atom next, "Be good, kids," he states, before standing up and turning to Loki, who appears as though he is about to burst into tears at any moment. Vidcund nods, "Loki," he acknowledges.

Loki leans forward and wraps his arms around Vidcund, pulling him into a backbreaking embrace. "I love you, Viddy Voo. Please don't leave me!" he cries, "If Jason hits on you, just think about how hot I am."

Vidcund laughs and puts his arms around his partner. "Alright," he says, patting Loki on the back. After a few moments, Vidcund attempts to pull away from the hug, but Loki won't let go of him. "Okay Loki, you gotta let me leave now. I was supposed to be there five minutes ago."

Loki sighs and lets go of his boyfriend. Vidcund steps back, catching his breath a bit before grabbing his suitcase and heading out the door. "Bye, kids!" he states, waving to the twins, "See you Sunday!"

…

Thirty minutes later, Loki has resumed his Friday phone call with Erin as he sits sprawled out on the living room couch, the house surprisingly quiet around him. Loki sighs as he stares up at the ceiling once more. " _And that's when I realized something really shocking_ -" Erin continues, Loki perking up a tad as Ceres approaches the edge of the couch.

"Yeah, that's great, Erin," Loki mutters, quickly hanging up the phone and throwing it under the couch cushion.

Ceres smiles as she stops beside the coffee table, the expression on her face looking as if she is about to request the world. "Dad, can I have a sleepover?"

Loki cocks his forehead, this word quite foreign to him. "What's that?" he wonders.

"You know, it's when I invite a bunch of my friends over, and they spend the night here."

"Why would they do that?" Loki asks.

Ceres beams. "Because it's fun!"

"I see…" Loki states, scratching his chin ponderously, "Well, I guess so, but we should probably get all of your friends' parents to sign waivers beforehand. I don't want any of those little sneaks stealing my inventions! You better invite your whole class too, so no one's parents go after us," he remarks before reaching into his pocket and pulling out his wallet. "Here's my credit card," Loki states, handing Ceres the piece of expensive plastic, "Buy whatever you want."

Ceres takes the card from Loki and grins, "Thanks Dad!" she chimes. Loki watches as she races over to the staircase and shouts up the stairs. "Hey Atom, let's buy a giant bouncy house!"

Loki waits until his daughter leaves the premises before plopping back down on the couch with a heavy sigh. He reaches under the pillow and pulls out his cell phone. He scrolls through the fifteen outgoing unanswered calls to Vidcund. He sets down his phone, slaps his hand over his eyes, and groans.

"Hey…Dad?" a voice rings out behind him.

Loki shrieks and sits up on the couch, locking eyes with his son, Atom. "Oh," Loki states, stuffing his phone under the couch cushion, "It's just you," he sighs, "So, how many of your friends are you going to invite to this whole 'sleepover' thing?"

Atom begins fiddling with his hands. "Well, um, about that…I don't really have any friends."

"You don't?" Loki says. Atom nods, "Good for you, son!" Loki beams, "Believe me, the last thing you'd ever want is to be dependent on other people," he says, giving a nervous laugh as his mind fills with troubled thoughts, "Do you think your father would cheat on me?"

Atom frowns, "What?"

"You're right, I shouldn't be asking a ten-year-old that question. I mean, who would think such a ridiculous thing? I'm the total package!" Loki spews, frantically trying to hide his insecurity from his child, "Now, where were we? Oh yes, I was teaching you the importance of independence and not being dependent on other people."

"You mean like with you and Dad?" Atom wonders.

"Psh, no," Loki replies, quite offended by this remark, "I am not dependent on your father. I can't even think of one instance where that was the case!" he declares as his phone buzzes underneath the cushion, "Oh God! Is that Vidcund?" Loki chimes, frantically checking his phone. Loki sighs as he opens a message from Pascal. "Look, if you're so worried about not having any friends at the party, we'll just invite your cousin over to even it out!"

"But I'm not friends with Tycho," Atom says, "He hasn't said a word to me in years."

"Yeah, he's pretty shy," Loki nods, shooting off a text message to Pascal, "But when he has Pascal as a father, who can blame him?" he chimes, setting his phone back on the couch, "Now, get ready, because you're about to have the best party of your young life!"

…

Two hours later, Atom and Tycho are cowering in the corner as total chaos erupts around them. Upstairs, tons of children are running around the premises screaming at the top of their lungs as they chase each other with pillows.

"Everything's going to be okay, everything's going to be okay!" Tycho chants as he rocks back and forth in the basement, cradling his knees.

Atom sighs and reaches for the landline on his father's desk. "This blows," he states, quickly dialing the phone, "I'm calling for a pizza."

Meanwhile, on the top of the Beaker castle, Ceres is chatting with her best friend from school, the inflatable bouncy house taking up over fifty percent of the roof behind them.

"You're so lucky that your dad lets you have sleepovers, Ceres," Kristen and Lola's daughter, Kendall, says, her light brown hair shining in the evening sun, "My mother doesn't even let me get the mail by myself."

"Yeah, I guess…" Ceres replies, her stomach dropping as one of the boys in her class spills a drink nearby.

Kendall tilts her forehead, "What's wrong?"

"I don't know. Maybe this wasn't a good idea," Ceres answers honestly, playing with her hands, "My dad's a bit of a neat freak, and if he sees this mess he's probably going to pass out."

"Wait, responsible dad or emotionally-unstable dad?" Kendall wonders.

"Responsible dad," Ceres says, cringing as another glass smashes on the floor, "I'm surprised my other dad hasn't done anything to stop this yet. This party is getting out of control," Ceres notes, a frantic tone lacing her voice as she turns to her friend, "Come on, Kendall, we have to stop this before something catastrophic happens!"

…

Loki is fast asleep on the living room couch as Ceres and Kendall race down the main staircase, a crowd of children running by them as the pair make their way to the foot of the sofa. "Dad?" Ceres cries, shaking Loki by the shoulder, " _Dad_!" Ceres shouts in a classic whiny tone.

"Hmph…what?" Loki speaks, barely opening his eyes.

"Dad, this party is getting way out of control," Ceres tells him, "My classmates already trashed the roof. Isn't there anything you can do to stop them?"

Loki yawns and glances around the room. He turns to the right, spotting a small crowd of children tying one of their classmates to the refrigerator. "I don't know, Ceres, it's always difficult to dismantle the hive mind."

Ceres tilts her forehead, trying her best to follow her father's logic. "Uh…okay," she squeaks, pulling out her cell phone, "I'll just call Dad then."

"NO!" Loki springs up from the couch and races over to the kitchen, "You don't have to do that. We'll just hire an entertainer. Entertainers are great at keeping children occupied!" Loki announces, picking up the wall phone.

Meanwhile, Atom has just retrieved the pizza from the pizza delivery guy, who had agreed to meet him at the back entrance of the estate to avoid an ambush by Atom's classmates. Atom sits down, giving a heavy sigh of relief as he opens the pizza box to find an untouched pie. He holds the box out to Tycho, who is still cowering in the corner. "Here, take some," Atom instructs.

Tycho slowly opens his eyes, the smell of the pizza causing his mouth to water. "Really?" he squeaks. Atom nods, "Thanks," he states with a small smile.

"Wow," Atom speaks, already halfway through his first slice, "I think that's most you've ever said to me," he says, watching as Tycho continues to shiver in place, "Why did you come to this party if it's terrifying for you?"

"I don't know," Tycho replies, resting the pizza slice on his hand, "I guess I'm just…sick of feeling alone."

"You have your dad," Atom reminds him.

"I know," Tycho responds, "But it's not really the same," he reveals, finishing the rest of his slice, "You are so lucky you have a twin, Atom. It's lonely being an only child."

"Well, at least you get attention," Atom states, attempting to console his cousin, "I usually have to act out to get my parents to notice me. Not like I don't enjoy stealing things, I mean, stealing things is my favorite. But once in a while it would be nice to get recognition for something other than being bad."

Tycho nods, in shock that he is actually feeling a connection to someone other than his father. "Well, I think you're great," he states.

Atom smiles, "Thanks."

…

"Well, it's about time you got here!" Loki snarls as he eyes the entertainer that is standing on his front porch decked out in clown attire. Loki leans forward, squinting at the face covered in clown paint, "Ajay, is that you?"

"Yes," the former businessman mutters as he pushes his away past Loki and into the house. Ajay sets his rainbow polka-dotted suitcase on the floor.

"Business school ended up being a dead end for you, huh?" Loki crosses his arms, his signature smirk forming on his face.

Ajay frowns. "Just shut up and tell me where to set up," he moans, picking up his suitcase and following Loki to the living room. He stops in front of the fireplace, which has a photo of Loki and Vidcund on it, "So, you're still dating Vidcund?" Ajay asks, doing his best to fake interest in the hopes of getting a better tip. "How's that going?"

"Fine. It's going great," Loki lies, itching to check his phone for the hundredth time that night, "He went to some florist convention this weekend, and I've been enjoying some time to myself."

"Well, the convention sounds like fun," Ajay replies, "He's probably having a great time."

"Oh God, you're right!" Loki shrieks, his eyes widening like saucers at the thought, "He's probably cheating on me right now!"

Meanwhile, at the florist convention, Vidcund is standing at a local flower shop owner's booth sniffing a beautiful azalea plant. Vidcund smiles and turns to the owner, "That's a nice azalea," he beams.

…

One hour later, the sleepover at the Beaker castle is growing more and more out of control as the clock approaches midnight. Loki passes by the kitchen, where the kid who is tied to the refrigerator has been joined by Ajay, the entertainer's face covered in purple marker as he sits tied up next to the twins' classmate. Loki perks up slightly as the doorbell rings a few feet away from him. The scientist races to the door.

"Jenny," Loki squeaks, doing his best to shield the colossal mess inside the house with his body as Vidcund's sister stands on the front porch in front of him, "What brings you to Tesla Court?"

"Well, I just wanted to see how you and the kids are doing," Jenny states sweetly, "Vidcund told me he's away for the weekend, and he was worried that you may have set fire to the house-"

Loki throws his head back, giving the best fake laugh he can muster as he waves this ridiculous assumption off. "Yeah, like that would happen," he mutters, glancing over his shoulder at the small fire on the living room coffee table. Loki turns back to Jenny and smiles, trying his best to leave the conversation as he inches back into the house, "Anyway, you can tell Vidcund everything's fine," he beams as a loud crashing sound rings out behind him. Loki's eyes widen, "Well, I should probably be going now-"

"Wait!" Jenny squeaks, "I traveled all the way out here. Can I at least see the twins?"

"Uh…sure you can," Loki says, now realizing that he has no idea where either of his children are, "Just a sec!"

Loki quickly slams the door in Jenny's face and scrambles to find the twins. After a few minutes of racing through the house calling out Atom's and Ceres' names, he finally has to settle on grabbing two kids that sort of resemble his children. "Wait here," Loki instructs the kids as he plops them down near the door. Loki races into the closet, quickly grabs two pumpkin masks, and hands them to the kids. "Quick! Put these on."

Mere seconds later, Loki ushers the children onto the front porch. "Here they are!" Loki announces, gesturing down at the pumpkin-faced children as Jenny tilts her head at them. "They were playing dress up."

"Hey Dad!" the real Ceres calls out from the kitchen, "Do you know where the marshmallows are?"

Loki shrieks and slams the door shut, locking Jenny and the two fake twins outside. Loki's cell phone starts vibrating in his pocket. He answers the call and holds the phone up to his ear. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Mr. I'm-too-good-to-spend-the-weekend-with-my-children," he mocks.

" _Loki,"_ Vidcund's voice soothingly states from the other line, _"Are you having a gigantic party at the house?"_

"What? No! Why would you even think that?" Loki cries, his voice getting drier by the second.

" _Because it's live on the news._ "

Loki turns to the side only to find a cameraman filming him from outside the living room window. "Oh," Loki says, eyeing the camera. He gives a small wave, "Can you see me waving from the window?"

Vidcund groans. " _Unbelievable. I've only been gone for a day, and you've already made local headlines!"_

"After all the borefests happening in Strangetown this week, are you really that surprised?" Loki quips, hoping to make light of the situation, "So, any reason why you sent your sister over here to spy on things? Do you honestly not trust me to properly take care of our children?"

" _Yes,"_ Vidcund answers immediately, a familiar voice chiming in the background, _"Now fix this whole monstrosity before the cops show up. I'll be home tomorrow-"_

"Okay. I love you-" Loki says, but Vidcund has already hung up. Loki's heart sinks in his chest as he thinks of the man's voice he just heard. Loki hangs up his phone and plops down on the sofa.

…

The next morning, Loki is still sitting on the living room sofa, deep in thought all night following the disastrous phone call. Around him, the Beaker castle has cleared out, leaving the house a shell of what it once was. "Wow, Dad. That was the best party ever!" Atom chimes as he and Tycho make their way into the living room, "I've never eaten so many marshmallows in my life!"

Loki nods, "Good for you, son," he says, trying to hide his sadness from his child. Atom and Tycho smile and race up the staircase, leaving Loki once again alone for a moment.

Erin cautiously steps through the front archway and glances around the house, which now resembles a poorly-looked-after daycare. She walks over to her brother, who doesn't even notice her come in. "Everything okay, Loki?" she wonders.

"Yeah," Loki nods, barely moving a muscle as Erin takes a seat in the adjacent living room chair, "all the kids ran home once we ran out of ice cream."

"No, I mean, are _you_ okay?"

Loki sighs and stares up at his sister, "What are you doing here, Erin?"

"You didn't call me back last night, so I got worried," Erin answers, spotting the black stain on the coffee table.

"Erin, tell me the truth," Loki speaks into the nearly-empty living room, "Do you think I'm a screw-up?"

"No, of course not," she states, staring out at her brother sympathetically, "Why would you even ask that?"

"You know, because every time I try to do things for people, it turns out bad. And not the good kind of bad that could raise my status in the villainous community and-" Loki stops in place, unsure if he should confess what's really bothering him, "I'm worried Vidcund's gonna leave me," he reveals, Loki's face falling to the floor, "And I can't go through that again," he squeaks, his eyes watering at this revelation, "I barely made it through the first time."

Erin sits back in her seat, locking eyes with the man who has just walked through the door. "Well, I-"

"I'm home, everyone!" Vidcund awkwardly announces in the doorway, "And the house is…surprisingly still standing," he nods, staring around the room.

"Daddy!" Ceres enthusiastically cries as she races over to hug him, "I missed you so much!" she beams as he returns the hug. Atom races down the staircase and joins the hug.

"Me too," Atom adds as Loki anxiously keeps his distance, "Can we get a robot dog?"

"Uh, I'll think about it," Vidcund answers as he gives Erin a wave. "Hey, why don't you take the kids out?"

Erin smiles and nods, "Sure. Come on, kids," she states, gesturing Atom and Ceres out the door. Loki watches as the three sims exit down the concrete steps, leaving himself and Vidcund alone in the castle.

"So, how was it?" Loki asks, slowly lingering towards the doorway.

Vidcund nods, his expression unreadable, "It was fun."

Loki sighs, "Great." Vidcund watches as Loki walks back into the living room. He takes out a dishrag and attempts to wipe down the coffee table. Loki tenses up a bit when he hears Vidcund approaching him. Loki leans back, Vidcund's shadow now covering half the table. "Uh, do you mind, Vid? I'm kinda in the middle of something."

"Loki," Vidcund sighs, kneeling next to him. Vidcund places a hand on his shoulder, "Are you really worried that I'm going to leave you?"

"Maybe, I guess," Loki states, playing with the soiled dishrag.

Vidcund scrunches his forehead. "Why?"

"I don't know," Loki squeaks, suddenly feeling quite insecure, "It just…makes sense."

Vidcund's face softens as he reaches out to his partner. "Loki-"

"Hey Vidcund," Jenny calls out from the doorway, stopping her middle brother in his tracks, "can I see you for a second?"

Vidcund nods and turns to the door. "Alright."

…

"Sorry to stop by all of a sudden, but the sheriff told me to give you these," Jenny says, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a stack of folded papers.

Vidcund takes the papers from her and unfolds them in his hands. "What are these?" he wonders, holding them up to her.

"They're a list of all the noise complaints that residents failed against your residence last night," Jenny answers as they stand alone at the entrance of the castle. Jenny peeks into the window and spots Loki, who is now cleaning up the kitchen. She turns back to her brother and lowers her voice to a whisper, "Honestly Vidcund, after all the distress that man puts you through, it makes me wonder why you even stayed with him in the first place," she states, shaking her head in pity as she trudges down the staircase, leaving Vidcund to ponder the thought in silence.


	7. Misery

**Author's Note:** The following chapter deals with heavy topics involving depression, pain, and loss. If this is something you are uncomfortable reading about, I encourage you to skip this chapter. My heart goes out to anyone who has experienced or is experiencing any of these hardships.

* * *

 **Snapshots From A New Strangetown**

 _Chapter Seven – Misery_

" _Hello and welcome to WSTR, Strangetown's highest-rated radio station for three years running,"_ a loud, obnoxious voice blares from Loki Beaker's car radio as he drives down the Road to Nowhere on a dry Monday morning, _"Our top story today: Local resident Vidcund Curious has now been missing for three hundred and seventy-five days straight. He is presumed dead until further notice-"_

Loki sighs and shuts the radio off with his right hand as he pulls into his assigned parking space in front of SimSanto Incorporated. He turns off the ignition and sits in silence for a moment, his hands perched on the steering wheel. Loki takes a deep breath and rests his head against the top of the steering wheel, unprepared to face another day.

A loud knock is heard from his front window, causing the physicist to immediately spring up in his seat. Loki turns to the side, locking eyes with Jenny, who is staring daggers through the window. Loki shoos her away from the car, steps out of the vehicle, and walks past her. Jenny storms after him, chasing down Loki as he approaches the building.

"I know you did something to him, Loki!" Jenny cries, following Loki to his desk, "I know you killed him!"

Loki sighs as he plops down at his desk, which has a Vidcund Curious memorial flyer taped onto its surface. He calmly removes the flyer and opens his desk drawer, placing the newest memorial announcement on top of a large stack of others. He turns to Jenny, who hasn't stopped shooting daggers at him since he stepped foot on the lot.

"Look, I didn't kill your brother, okay? So quit telling everyone that," Loki states, staring up at the distressed sibling.

Jenny cocks her forehead, folding her arms in front of her torso, " _Really_?" she replies dubiously, "Then what did you do to him?"

"I didn't do anything to Vidcund," Loki shrugs, "He's fine."

"If he's fine, then how come no one's seen him for a year?" Jenny challenges.

Loki sighs as he rearranges a stack of papers on his desk. "That I can't tell you," he responds, barely able to look her in the face, "Your guess is as good as mine."

"Hey Loki, can you come in here for a second?" Crystal chimes as she pokes her head through her office doorway.

Loki nods and eagerly removes himself from the uncomfortable situation. He steps into Crystal's office and closes the door behind him, watching as Crystal takes a seat at her grandiose desk. "So," Loki begins, slowly approaching the edge of her desk, "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Crystal clasps her hands together and stares down at her mahogany desk, trying to find the right words to say to him. "I uh-" she begins before letting out a heavy sigh, "Why didn't you come to my wedding last weekend?"

"Oh, uh-" Loki steps back, his face turning red as he nervously scratches the back of his head in response, "I'm sorry. I really wanted to, I just couldn't."

"I just thought after everything you said about me and Lazlo being a perfect match and us finally signing our divorce papers, you would've at least shown up for the ceremony."

Loki sighs, itching to end the conversation as soon as possible, "I wanted to come, Crystal. I really did, but Vidcund didn't think it was a good idea. And that's all I can say about the whole situation, so please don't ask me any more personal questions."

Crystal nods and exhales, understanding that this is the most she would ever be able to get out of him. "Alright, I'm just going to hope that you're telling me the truth, and Vidcund's not locked up somewhere in your basement."

Loki shakes his head, his stomach sinking at the thought, "Of course not! What kind of person do you take me for?"

Crystal shrugs and throws her hands up, "Honestly, I wish I knew."

…

Across town, Pascal and Lazlo are sitting crouched inside of the Strangetown crater, staring out at the Beaker estate, the pair of brothers dressed in all black attire. "I don't know, Pascal," Lazlo speaks up as Pascal adjusts his binoculars and narrows in on the newly-installed front door, "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I mean, shouldn't we have at least waited until nighttime to infiltrate the estate?"

"And risk running into Loki in the process? I don't think so!" Pascal retorts, putting down his binoculars, "Besides, if we would've done this at night, then no one would be able to see our fashionable outfits."

"But what if we don't find Vidcund?" Lazlo wonders, "What if he really is dead?"

Pascal tilts his forehead, unable to believe what he is hearing, "Now that's kind of a stretch, don't you think?"

"Pascal, I'm serious, no one's seen him in a year," Lazlo reminds his oldest brother, "It's the only logical explanation."

Pascal smiles and gives a nose-laugh, "You should know by now that I never follow the most logical route," he states, moving towards the edge of the crater, "Now come on, let's go rescue that dork."

The pair of brothers slowly make their way to the back of the Beaker castle, surveying the scene with each step they take. Finally, Pascal and Lazlo arrive at their destination and crouch in front of the back doorway.

"So, what's the plan?" Lazlo wonders.

"Plan?" Pascal remarks, clearly puzzled by the question, "Oh, right. The plan is to get in as discreetly as possible," he states, slowly reaching down and grabbing a hold of a rock. Pascal screams as he throws the rock through the back window, smashing it to pieces. "Eh, close enough," he states, stepping over the shards of broken glass and tiptoeing into the house, Lazlo following close behind him.

The brothers step into the castle, which is surprisingly dark for high-noon, and scan the area as they step into the living room. "Well, this is boring," Pascal states, his hands perched on his hips as he eyes the normal living room setup, "Where's all the dirt?"

Lazlo shrugs before turning towards the fireplace, a photo catching his eye. He picks up the silver frame and holds it up to Pascal. "Look!"

"Aww!" Pascal coos, gazing down at the photo of Loki holding Vidcund, "Precious memories," he beams as the floorboard creeks below them.

"What was that?" Lazlo cries, his hand placed firmly over his chest as Pascal approaches the basement stairs.

"Vidcund?" Pascal calls down the staircase, "Vidcund, is that you?"

Pascal slowly walks down the staircase, the basement pitch black beneath him as Lazlo cautiously trails his brother, searching for a light.

A few feet away from the brothers, a thirty-three-year-old, highly-distraught Vidcund Curious is crouched behind the staircase, watching as Pascal and Lazlo search for him. Vidcund haltingly reaches for his pocket and grabs his cell phone, his body shaking in panic as he types an S.O.S. message to his boyfriend.

"I don't know, Pascal. I don't think he's down here," Lazlo announces as he tries his best to gloss over the pile of papers on the nearby desk, the pair continuing to stand in darkness, "Maybe we just have to trust that Loki was telling the truth. I mean, it doesn't look like he's being tortured."

Pascal stops in the center of the room and sighs, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. "Yeah, maybe you're right," Pascal replies, "But I just don't understand why Vidcund would cut us out of his life like this," he squeaks, Vidcund frowning at this comment.

"It's not his doing, it's Loki's," Lazlo responds, crossing his arms over his chest, "You know he's been controlling Vidcund from the start. I wish Vidcund would do something about it, but I've accepted a long time ago that the situation is never going to change," Lazlo sighs as Vidcund glares at him in the shadows, "We better get out of here before Loki gets back."

Pascal nods as he backs up towards the staircase, nearly missing Vidcund's foot in the process. He sighs, "Okay."

…

Five minutes later, Loki bursts into the living room, his face in a panic as he holds his open cell phone in his right hand. "Vidcund?" Loki calls out as he stops in front of the main staircase. He spots the broken glass scattered near the back doorway, immediately fearing the worst, "Vidcund, are you alright?"

Vidcund sighs as he limps up the basement staircase. He takes one step into the living room and groans, placing a hand over his scarred stomach. Vidcund plops down on the floor. "I'm good," he states, his breath heavy. Loki raises an eyebrow, "Well, as good as I'm ever going to be," Vidcund mutters, "So, how was work?"

Loki sits down on the floor next to him and grabs Vidcund's hand, not wanting to trouble his boyfriend with his mundane problems, "It was fine," he lies, staring into the carpet. "Did you uh, go outside today?"

"No," Vidcund squeaks, squeezing Loki's hand, "I didn't want anyone to see me. Pascal came by earlier, but I was too scared to face him."

Loki scrunches his forehead, "Why don't you just tell him about the pregnancy?" he wonders.

"I can't," Vidcund says, his voice filled with anxiety, "I don't want him to blab to Jenny, then they'll both guilt me about not keeping the children. And Jenny would probably never talk to me again if she found out I gave away alien babies," Vidcund vents, looking as if he is about to burst into tears at any moment, "But I couldn't bring myself to keep them, I-"

"I know," Loki replies, patting Vidcund's hand consolingly, "But Viddy, you can't keep doing this. You're going to go crazy being locked up in the house like this. No one but me has seen you for a year. People are starting to talk, and they're painting a very unflattering picture about you possibly being my new test subject…or dead," Loki mutters.

"I sorry," Vidcund squeaks, wiping the tears from his cheek, "but I just can't go outside. The last time I tried, I had a panic attack. I can't even look at myself in the mirror anymore. The pregnancy completely destroyed my body, and I can't seem to bounce back from it."

"Vid, you need help," Loki tells him, "This whole ordeal clearly scarred you, and you need to get better. Sitting here in the dark every day is not going to help you move on from this. Look, I love you, okay? But I can't be your therapist," he says, staring into Vidcund's tear-stained eyes, "You need professional help. I don't care what it costs, I just want you to be happy again."

"Okay," Vidcund weakly replies, squeezing Loki's hand once again, "I'll try my best. I will get better," he promises, even though he himself doesn't believe it.

…

Five months later, after twenty-five therapy sessions and seventeen failed attempts at leaving the house, Vidcund is lying down on the living room sofa, feeling his depression physically spiral out of control. " _I'm never going to get better,"_ Vidcund innermost thoughts state as he stares up at the ceiling, _"It's never going to happen. How I can live with myself after what I've done? I don't deserve to. Everyone deserves better than me. I have nothing to live for anymore,"_ he says, his tears rolling off his cheeks and staining the expensive couch.

All of a sudden, a massive explosion rings out from the basement, causing Vidcund's inner demons to momentarily cease their destruction. "Damn it!" Loki yells from his laboratory.

Vidcund instantly gets up from his seat and steps down the staircase into Loki's work space. Smoke is raising up to the ceiling, causing the plant biologist to enter a coughing fit. Vidcund vigorously waves his arm in front of his torso, trying his best to air the place out and find his love. "Loki!" Vidcund calls out, when the smoke clears enough to see him, "What happened?"

"I'll tell you what happened. I screwed up!" Loki replies, gesturing at his failed cloning experiment in distress. Vidcund steps forward, eyeing the two babies that are lying on the surface of Loki's lab table, his heart immediately opening when he sees them. "The Strangetown Federal Commission wants clones, not children," Loki states, grabbing a hold of his hammer, "I gotta get rid of the evidence!"

"NO!" Vidcund cries, holding Loki's arm back and blocking his path. "Please don't," Vidcund pleads, about to burst into tears once more as he gently reaches forward and picks up the female baby. She gives out a small squeak as he rests her against his chest. Vidcund picks up the male baby and holds him in his other arm, "They're just babies."

Loki steps back and sighs, staring up at his boyfriend, who appears content for the first time in a while. "You're right," Loki states, "I shouldn't destroy anything that has even a hint of my greatness."

…

Later that night, Loki is standing in the bedroom doorway, watching Vidcund sing to the twin babies in his arms. For the first time in a year, Vidcund genuinely looks happy. Vidcund's heart melt as he watches the twins slowly drift off to sleep. He leans forward and delicately kisses them on their foreheads. Seeing this, Loki smiles and sits down on the bed next to him.

"You know, I wasn't planning on being a father, but you really seem to like the twins, so…what should we name them?" Loki asks.

"Really?" Vidcund chimes, a smile shining on his face as he feels his life fill with purpose again, "I can keep them?"

"Yeah," Loki nods, stunned that Vidcund would even ask this question, "On one condition," he beams, "I get to name the girl, Ceres."

"Why?" Vidcund wonders.

"Cause I always liked that name. It's so badass," Loki claims, "And it links to the Roman goddess of agriculture, a fact which I know a certain plant biologist would love," he quips.

"If that's the case, then I think we should name the boy, Atom, because I know how much you love subatomic particles," Vidcund grins.

Loki smirks and shakes his head, "God, you're making me sound like such a dork!" he jokes, nudging Vidcund in the side, "I love you so much," he states.


	8. Ulterior Motive

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! I had to write this chapter in five parts over the course of a week due to my recent injury, so I apologize if it's not as seamless as the other chapters. I'm unsure when my next update will be, but I appreciate all of the patience and support I have received during this time. You guys are awesome, and I hope you enjoy this update! :D

* * *

 **Snapshots From A New Strangetown**

 _Chapter Eight – Ulterior Motive_

It's an uncharacteristically quiet Saturday morning at the Beaker residence, and Vidcund is fast asleep in the master bedroom, the light from the blinds barely reaching the edge of his nightstand where his cell phone is situated. All of a sudden, his phone starts vibrating on the surface, the impact of its rapid movements causing a clamor. Vidcund groans, reaches over to the nightstand, and picks up his cell phone. He groggily holds it up to his ear, his eyes barely open as he turns on his back, "Hello?"

" _Hey, it's Pascal,_ " Pascal's cheery voice rings from the opposite line.

Vidcund sighs and runs his hand through his blonde hair, barely registering his brother's words. Vidcund reaches his arm out to the right, surprised to find Loki's side of the bed empty.

"Pascal?" Vidcund squeaks, "Why are you calling me so early?"

" _Vid, it's eleven o'clock_."

Vidcund quickly flips over, eyeing the clock on the adjacent nightstand in shock. It's been years since he's overslept, mostly due to the amount of ruckus that Loki and the twins cause. "Oh, sorry," Vidcund replies once the surprise wears off, "Wow. I can't remember the last time I slept in."

Pascal laughs, " _It's fine_ ," he states as Vidcund slowly climbs out of bed, " _Anyway, remember that thing that we were talking about yesterday?_ "

"Yeah," Vidcund nods, exiting into the hallway.

" _I think I'm going to do it_."

"Seriously?" Vidcund chimes, stopping at the top of the staircase.

" _Well, this may be my last chance to have one,"_ Pascal states, _"and if you're alright with it, then I don't see why I shouldn't."_

"Because you would be forever tied to _that_?" Vidcund concludes as he steps down the staircase and enters the living room. He turns to the side, only to find Loki fast asleep on the sofa.

Pascal sighs, " _She's not that bad, Vid._ "

"Really?" Vidcund stops at the edge of the couch, "Cause I know two people in this house who could contest that statement," he says, leaning forward and kissing the side of his boyfriend's face. Loki stirs a little when Vidcund gently rubs him on the back before heading straight to the kitchen.

" _And I know two people in my house who could support it, what's your point?_ " Pascal snaps.

Vidcund sighs. "Just…be careful, okay?" he advises as he stops near the grand staircase, "There's always an ulterior motive with Circe," Vidcund pulls down his phone slightly when he hears what sounds like the twins bickering on the second floor, "I gotta go. The twins are fighting," Vidcund says into his phone, "I'll talk to you later," he promises, ending the call before his brother can respond, the twins' arguing growing louder as he treks up the stairway.

"Atom, you butt face, give it back!" Ceres howls as Vidcund appears in the doorway of the second-floor sitting room. Ceres and Atom are having a rather aggressive tug of war with a package of markers.

"No way!" Atom retorts, tugging the markers closer to him, "These are my markers! Get your own, stinkbreath!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Vidcund quickly steps in, stopping in front of the feuding twins, "What's going on here?" he asks, the twins letting up when they see him.

Ceres crosses her arms in a pout, "Atom won't let me use his markers," she huffs.

"Well, did you ask him?"

"Why would I ask him?" Ceres questions, "We share everything! And they're not even his. He stole them!" she claims, pointing to Atom, who is defensively hugging the markers to his chest.

"She only wants them because I have them!" Atom cries, "She always uses my stuff. I don't have anything that's just mine!"

Vidcund turns to his daughter, a perturbed look on his face. "Ceres, I thought you had your own set of scented markers."

"I did," Ceres replies, "But then we got rid of them after Dad ended up in the hospital cause he passed out from over-sniffing the lime one."

Vidcund sighs as he thinks this conflict over, "Alright. I'll tell you what. I don't want either of you two using stolen merchandise, so Atom," Vidcund begins, turning towards his son, "you're going to return that marker set, then I'll get you and your sister new markers with your names on them, and we'll hide them from your dad."

Atom and Ceres turn to each other, both pleased by this agreement. "Okay," they say.

"Good," Vidcund states, folding his arms with a sigh, "Now, you two should apologize to each other for all the name-calling. You guys are siblings. You should have each other's backs."

Ceres looks at Atom briefly before turning to her father, "Did you ever fight with your brother, Dad?" she wonders.

"Huh?" Vidcund looks up slightly, his mind clearly elsewhere, "Oh yeah, all the time," he answers, "Having two siblings was rough," Vidcund admits, rolling his lips together, tears forming in the corners of his eyes as he sits down on the sitting room's couch.

"Tell us a story!" Atom pleads, sitting crossed-legged on the rug in front of him.

"Yeah," Ceres beams, "We want to hear about your childhood!"

"Oh," Vidcund squeaks, staring down at the twins, who are eagerly awaiting his story, "Hmm, let's see. Well, there was this one time where my brother and I almost had a falling out…"

…

Twenty-five years prior, during the last semester of Vidcund's senior year in high school, Vidcund is standing in the living room of the Curious family's modest four-bedroom townhouse telling Pascal his latest plans for academic success.

"This is it, Pascal. This is my last opportunity to finally beat Loki in the science fair!" Vidcund proclaims, wearing his signature everyday outfit, "He may have taken my girlfriend and my dignity, but he cannot take away my determination!"

Pascal cocks his forehead, "He can't?"

"Well…maybe. But I think this year I have a real shot at winning, see?" Vidcund reaches behind his back and holds up his project, which appears to be nothing more than a flower with a portable vacuum cleaner attached to its pot, "It's an automatic plant waterer!" Vidcund introduces, his older brother raising his eyebrows at this news, "Every time the plant needs to be watered, this machine automatically replenishes it by sucking up the water droplets from the surrounding air!" he beams, holding the pot close to his chest, "So, what do you think?"

"Do you really think that's going to be enough to beat Loki?" Pascal wonders, bringing his hand up to his chin in a ponder, "I heard he's cloning his own foot."

"What?!" Vidcund blares, "Oh, come on! Actually, you know what? It doesn't matter. Everyone knows plants are cooler than feet."

"Really?" Pascal chimes, "It's a universal fact?" he challenges causing his younger brother to turn and glare at him, "Cheer up, Vid. We can modify your project to make it better than Loki's smelly foot."

Vidcund turns slightly away from him, "No, thank you," he huffs.

"Hey, I'm trying to help you here. I'd just hate to see you disappointed again."

"I'm not _going_ to be disappointed because I'm _going_ to beat him this year," Vidcund declares, hugging the pot to his torso, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to practice my victory speech."

Pascal sighs as he watches Vidcund walk into the hallway, leaving him alone in the living room. Pascal shakes his head and stares at the floor, "Man, he is in for a world of disappointment," he mutters.

…

Five hours later, Pascal peeks his head into Vidcund's bedroom as the wall clock strikes midnight behind him, his brother fast asleep on his bed. Pascal narrows in on Vidcund's science fair project, which is set up on Vidcund's dresser across the room. Pascal quickly scans the area before tiptoeing into the bedroom. He crouches down in front of the plant, pulls out a screwdriver, and slowly but carefully gets to work.

Several modifications later, Pascal slips out of Vidcund's bedroom and slowly backs into the hallway. Unbeknownst to him, his father, Glarn, is doing the same from the opposite direction, backing into the hallway from the living room. Pascal and Glarn accidentally knock into each other, the pair screaming upon contact.

"Dad!" Pascal whisper-screams, his eyes wide as they turn to face each other, both sims looking equally guilty, "I don't know what you were doing, but I totally wasn't modifying Vidcund's project so he'll beat Loki in the science fair!"

"And I definitely wasn't outside visiting my second family," Glarn confirms, forcing a blameless smile.

Pascal nods, seemingly satisfied by his father's answer, "Well, that's good to know," he states. The father and son stare at each other for a few moments before dashing into their respective rooms at top speed.

…

"Hello everyone, and welcome to the Fifteenth Annual All-School Science Fair!" Principal Jayapalan announces from the stage set up in the middle of Strangetown High School's gymnasium the following afternoon, "In just a few moments, we will begin our judging, so have your projects ready to go!"

Vidcund sighs in relief as he finishes his elaborate display, completely unaware of his approaching rival.

"Hello, Vidcund," Loki greets. Vidcund quickly turns around and groans when he sees the smug smile on Loki's face, "I'm so glad you came to watch me win the science fair," he quips, "With Pascal graduated and out of the picture, everyone knows this competition is mine to lose."

Vidcund rolls his eyes and turns his back to his rival, "Whatever you say, Loki."

Twenty minutes later, Principal Jayapalan and the other members of the judging panel stop in front of Vidcund's table. Principal Jayapalan smiles and picks up Vidcund's project, examining the plant in wonder. Vidcund is so anxious, he feels like he is going to throw up. Behind him, Pascal is bouncing up and down in excitement.

"Well, isn't this interesting," Principal Jayapalan states, staring down the control panel on the plant's pot, which looks like it's been taken from a Game Boy, "It appears you've added an air freshening feature."

"I did?" Vidcund squeaks, instantly turning to his brother in a panic. 'You?' he mouths to him. Pascal nods and flashes him a thumbs up, "I-I mean, of course I did!" Vidcund answers, trying his best to act casual about the whole situation.

"I absolutely adore air fresheners," Principal Jayapalan declares, "Let's try it out!"

Principal Jayapalan presses the A button on the panel, which causes a huge gust of wind to erupt from the flower pot. The wind instantly knocks over the display next to them, which is a study of the effects of birthday candles in correlation to happiness. The candles collapse, setting the adjacent poster board on fire. All the sims in the area run up to the fire and start screaming. Some of them are frantically dancing around the fire, while others are merely pointing at the flames.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," Vidcund's ex-girlfriend, Circe, mutters as she returns from her trip to the bathroom, eyeing the monstrous display that is unfolding around her. Circe rolls her eyes and walks out the exit, stopping in front of the payphone.

Ten minutes later, Vidcund and Pascal watch from outside the burning gymnasium as a team of firefighters puts out the blazing inferno. Vidcund sighs as he stares down at what's left of his project: two burnt leaves and the B button from the control panel. "Why would you do this to me, Pascal?" Vidcund says, sounding surprisingly calm for someone who indirectly set his high school on fire.

"I just wanted to help you out, okay?" Pascal reveals, "I really wanted you to win this year. And I thought that if I helped you win, maybe you would want to spend more time with me," he confesses, nervously playing with his hands. "You haven't spent much time with me since Pascal left for college, and I look up to you, Vidcund. You're my older brother."

…

Back in the present day, Vidcund sits on the sitting room's couch, staring off into space as the twins watch curiously from their places on the carpet. Vidcund brings his lips together, tears forming in the corners of his eyes as he suddenly finds himself overflowing with emotion; the rest of the story too much for him to bear.

"Why did you stop there?" Ceres speaks up, staring at her father wondrously.

"Yeah," Atom adds, "Did you and Uncle Pascal ever makeup? Did you beat Dad in the science fair?"

"You know, that's not important," Vidcund says, standing up from the sofa and staring down at his children, "What is important is that Uncle Pascal and I still have each other's backs to this day. We didn't let one fight ruin our relationship, and you two shouldn't either," Vidcund concludes, exiting the room before the twins can see how distraught he looks.

Atom and Ceres turn to each other, still puzzled by what just occurred. "Maybe Dad's right, Atom. I'm sorry I took your markers without asking you," Ceres apologizes.

"And I'm sorry I made fun of your bad breath," Atom sincerely states.

"I have bad breath?" Ceres squeaks, quickly covering her mouth with her hands. Atom giggles.

…

Meanwhile, Loki is sitting on the sofa in the living room, holding his cell phone up to his ear as he runs some of his latest ideas for inventions by his former boss, Crystal. Loki sits up on the couch slightly and readjusts the clipboard that is resting against his propped-up knees.

" _You know, Loki, you really don't need to run these ideas by me,"_ Crystal speaks from the other line after Loki reveals his plans for the newly-patented Electric Vomit Recycler 3.0, _"You don't work for me anymore."_

"I know," Loki says, giving a sigh as he feels a lump forming in the back of his throat, "I just…I miss you, okay?"

" _Loki!_ " Crystal exclaims, " _Don't let Vidcund hear you say that._ "

Loki rolls his eyes, "Not like that! God, Crystal, get your mind out of the gutter!" he cries, hanging up his cell phone. Loki leans back on the sofa, a slight blush on his face as he stews over the sudden collapse of their playful conversation.

A few seconds later, the doorbell chimes throughout the castle, causing the former physicist to uncross his arms and begrudgingly head to the front door. Loki swings open the doorway, his face immediately falling when he comes face to face with his ex-girlfriend. Loki groans as Circe sashays towards him, sporting her signature devious smirk.

"Hello, Loki," she greets.

"Oh no," Loki moans, letting out an exasperated sigh, which causes Circe to smile even bigger.

"I just came over to tell you that I'm going to have a baby," she beams.

"Wow," Loki replies, pretending to be excited about the news regarding her mundane life, "It's amazing what science can do these days. What are you, fifty? Forty-seven?" he smirks.

Circe crosses her arms and glares at her ex-husband, "I'm forty-three," she declares, "and still eons younger than you!"

Loki steps back and leans against the doorway, arms crossed, "So, when's the due date?"

"Oh. I'm not pregnant yet," Circe tells him as if this is obvious, "You see, I only get one shot at having the perfect child, so I've been thoroughly researching every sim in town to find the perfect man to impregnate me."

"Circe, I'm flattered," Loki states, a sassy expression spread across his face, "but if I didn't want a child with you fifteen years ago, there's no way it's going to happen now."

"Don't kid yourself, _sweetheart_ , the last thing this town needs is more Loki," Circe quips, rolling her eyes at the sky, "There are only so many plastic surgeons to go around."

Loki scrunches his eyebrows, a haunting thought crossing his mind. "Surely, you're not thinking Vidcund?"

"I thought about it for a second but quickly shot the idea down," Circe replies, waving away the thought, "Anyway, since you obviously know me quite well, I thought you could help me narrow down my options. Right now, it's a race between Dominic and Pascal, both of whom won the Nobel Prize over you."

Loki rolls his eyes and turns towards the hallway, quickly dismissing her prospects. "Just flip a coin, they're both equally crazy," he says, backing into the foyer, "And you really don't need to update me on every aspect of your life. That's why I follow you on Twitter!"

"Noted," Circe coos as she turns towards the exit. She suddenly stops in the doorway and turns back to Loki, remembering why she came to his house in the first place. "Oh…and one more thing," she begins with a smirk, "I'm dating your sister."

"WHAT?!"

…

Vidcund slowly enters his bedroom, still deeply troubled by the whole situation. He gently closes the door behind him and plops down on his side of the bed, his mind going a mile a minute after his encounter with the twins. Vidcund sighs, tears still pocketed in the corner of his eyes, as he reaches forward and pulls open the top drawer of his nightstand. He digs around the drawer for a moment before his hands come across the glossy item that he has tucked away in the back corner.

Vidcund grabs the item and scans it over in his hands. The item is a photograph taken twenty-five years ago today that shows his teenage self and his youngest brother, Lazlo, standing next to what remained of the banner for the Fifteenth Annual All-School Science Fair. The pair is holding up the school's only surviving project, Vidcund's automatic plant waterer, most of which was rescued from the flames by Lazlo. The project has a first-place ribbon stuck to the front of its freshly-charred flowerpot. The jubilant expressions on his and Lazlo's faces are enough to cause present-day Vidcund to break down and cry. Vidcund drops the photograph, weeping before it hits the ground.

"Hey," Loki greets, opening the door and poking his head in the doorway. Loki stops when he notices Vidcund sobbing into his palms, "So, you heard the news, huh?" he states, taking a seat on the bed next to him, "Isn't it terrible?" Vidcund hyperventilates and cries even harder, causing Loki to immediately embrace him in a side hug, "Whoa, Vid. Calm down. Even I don't think it's worthy of this much strife! It's not like someone burned a bowl of mac and cheese! Unless…" Loki begins, rubbing his chin ponderously as his mind shifts to other matters, "Are you still mad about the sandwich thing?"

Vidcund sniffs, carefully lifting his face out of his hands, "You ate my sandwich?" he squeaks.

Loki shrugs, "Well, something happened to it."

"Loki," Vidcund weakly speaks as his boyfriend hands him the tissue box, "I miss Lazlo. It's been ten years since we've last communicated, and I don't want to die being mad at him."

"Lazlo," Loki nods, deep in thought as he picks up the fallen photograph, "Now there's a name I haven't heard from you in a while," he says, watching as Vidcund blows his nose, "What brought this on?"

"I just told the twins a story about sibling unity," he confesses, "It was the one where Pascal helped me win the science fair."

Loki scrunches his forehead in confusion, "But Pascal didn't help you win the science fair. That was Lazlo with his stupid Game Boy!"

"I know," Vidcund responds, giving a small sniff, "And now you know why I feel like a fraud."

"You're not a fraud, Vid," Loki says, "Remember that guy who sold us those radioactive azaleas that were really just glow-in-the-dark felt? Now that guy was a fraud!"

Vidcund nods and flashes a small smile, "Yeah."

"Look, all siblings fight, but if you want Lazlo in your life, reach out and say something," Loki tells him, "Don't wait for people to come to you saying they made a mistake."

Vidcund sighs, his eyes trailing to the floor as he contemplates what Loki has just said. Vidcund looks up at his partner upon reaching his final decision. "You're right," he states, "Just stay with me while I call him," Vidcund pleads.

Loki nods, watching as Vidcund grabs his cell phone and dials Lazlo's number with his right hand, death-gripping Loki's hand with the other. Vidcund moves the phone up to his ear and anxiously awaits Lazlo's answer. Vidcund sighs as the call goes straight to voicemail and musters all his courage to prepare to leave a message after the beep. "Hey Lazlo, it's Vidcund…your brother," Vidcund says into the machine, his legs trembling as he continues, "I know we haven't talked in a while, and honestly, it's been so long I can't even remember why we stopped talking in the first place, but life's too short not to have you in my life, so…call me back when you get the chance," he says, feeling like he is going to pass out, "Again, this is your brother, Vidcund. Bye," Vidcund states, closing his phone to end the call and falling into Loki's open arms.

Across the Simverse, Lazlo is standing in the foyer of his mansion on the Capp side of Veronaville Estates, the phone still glued to his ear after hearing Vidcund's surprisingly heartfelt message. Lazlo listens to it a few times before hanging up the phone, stunned to silence as his wife walks into the room.

"Who was that?" Crystal wonders, pointing to the 'Missed Call' message blinking on the top of their answering machine.

Lazlo turns to Crystal, the shocked expression not leaving his face, "It was Vidcund," he awes.


	9. Just Friends

**Snapshots From A New Strangetown**

 _Chapter Nine – Just Friends_

"She's dating my sister, Vid! I can't believe that lunatic is dating my sister!" Loki cries as he paces in front of the living room sofa, following what may possibly be the worst news of his life. Vidcund sighs as he watches Loki from the end of the couch, trying his best to keep Loki rational through this whole ordeal, "This is the worst thing that's ever happened to me!"

"Come on, Loki. Don't you think you're overreacting just a little?" Vidcund asks, his boyfriend in a frenzy, "I mean, maybe Circe makes Erin really happy."

Loki stops pacing and glares at him. "Vidcund, this is Circe we're talking about here. She doesn't make anyone happy! She lives to destroy happiness at all costs!" Loki proclaims, "Besides, she's obviously just using my sister as a way to get revenge on me for all the terrible things you put her through!"

"Hey, I was a good boyfriend," Vidcund replies, crossing his arms and leaning back against the sofa, clearly offended, "I did everything she said and then some."

"Well, obviously you didn't do enough cause now she's out to make me miserable!" Vidcund sighs and rolls his eyes at the ceiling as Loki continues on his rant, "Circe is just pretending to be happy to get back at me. I mean, you remember how unhappy she was dating you!"

Vidcund nods, "Yeah," he begins before stopping to think this over for a moment, the phone buzzing off the hook behind him, "Wait, what?"

"This is bad. We gotta stop this thing before it goes haywire and destroys the entire city…again," Loki mutters under his breath as Vidcund answers the landline.

"It's your sister," Vidcund states, holding the phone out to Loki from the kitchen.

Loki sighs, snatches the phone, and presses it up against his ear. "Hello?"

" _Hey, Loki!_ " Erin's cheery voice rings from the opposite end of the line, " _I'm glad I caught you. I wanted to tell you that-_ "

"You're dating Circe?" Loki completes, annoyance laced in his voice, "Yeah, I heard yesterday from the devil herself."

Erin sighs, " _I'm sorry. I tried to tell you twice last week, but you kept hanging up on me._ "

"No offense, Erin, but this is one of those things that you really need to tell someone in person," Loki barks, pacing the kitchen floor.

" _I know, it's just…you haven't dated her in so long, I didn't think it was a big deal. I mean, it's not like I'm dating Crystal or anything_ ," Erin presses further, Loki's face blushing lightly, " _You were never really in love with Circe_."

"That doesn't matter. You still should've respected me enough to tell me before you went and dated her behind my back!" Loki argues, his face fuming.

" _You're right,"_ Erin replies, exhaling once more, _"So, how about we come over this weekend and spend some time with you guys? Maybe it would help warm you up to the idea of Circe and I as a couple-"_

" _Seriously_?!" Loki squeaks, growing more infuriated by the second, "You really think that I would waste my time with this sh-" Vidcund walks forward and nudges Loki in the side, holding up a piece of paper that reads, 'Be supportive.' Loki sees it and reluctantly caves, "Alright. Fine. You guys can come over for dinner on Friday," he spews out, "Just…don't make me vomit," he groans, hanging up after Erin cheers in response.

Loki turns to the side and locks eyes with Vidcund, who is now staring at him suspiciously from the dining table with his arms crossed. "Loki," Vidcund speaks, "this dinner party better not be a desperate, blanketed attempt at splitting them up."

"Well, it wasn't," Loki says before tapping his chin ponderously, "But I like your idea better."

Vidcund stands up from the dining table, immediately regretting his words as he frantically waves his hands in front of his chest, "That was never my intention-"

"Too late!" Loki chimes, "Legally, it was yours, which means anything that happens from here on out is solely your responsibility!" Loki springs out of the room and races up the staircase to enact stage one of what he is now calling Operation Split Up, leaving a dumbfounded Vidcund in the kitchen.

Vidcund sighs and rubs his aching forehead, "What have I just done?" he moans.

…

Early Friday afternoon, Loki and Vidcund are in the kitchen setting the table for the dinner party later that evening. Loki sighs in satisfaction as he neatly arranges the last set of silverware on the mahogany tabletop. Vidcund steps back and admires their work, "I think it looks good," he states in appeasement.

Loki nods, "Me too," he agrees, waiting until Vidcund turns his attention back to de-smudging the refrigerator. Loki stops in front of Circe's place setting and pulls out a small tub of itching powder, laughing evilly to himself as he unscrews the magenta lid. Loki stops suddenly, feeling someone's shadow hover over him. Loki slowly looks up only to find Vidcund towering over him. Vidcund glares down at Loki, arms folded, and gestures for him to hand it over.

"Fine," Loki sighs, handing Vidcund the tub of itching powder, "Damn it! How did you catch me so fast?"

"We have two kids, Loki. I catch everything," Vidcund replies with a shrug, carrying the tub off the premises.

Loki watches as Vidcund walks up the staircase, stroking his hands deviously as he stops in front of Circe's table setting for the second time that day. He leans forward, moving Circe's napkin so it's slightly askew. He laughs evilly at the ceiling.

Upstairs, Vidcund claps his hands together and rounds up the twins. "Alright," he states, turning to Ceres and Atom, who are both standing in the sitting room, "Now remember kids, Aunt Erin and her new girlfriend will be over any minute, so be on your best behavior."

Ceres turns to Atom, both flashing looks of pure confusion, "But we already promised Dad that we'd be on our worst behavior," she replies.

"Yeah," Atom nods, bouncing up and down in excitement, "He even said I could dance on the table and dropkick the roast!"

" _Loki_!" Vidcund yells, exiting the room and racing towards the staircase right as the doorbell rings.

Loki sighs and loosens his arms, "Let's get this over with," he mutters, stepping towards the doorway. He yanks open the front door and is immediately pulled into a smothering hug by his sister.

"Hey, Loki!" Erin beams, throwing her arms around him, "I'm so glad to see you!" she greets as Circe triumphantly stands behind her.

"Me too, just not with that thing," Loki grumbles, sounding like he just found out he's going to need a root canal. Loki pulls back and locks eyes with Circe, who is wearing a surprisingly elegant and non-threatening emerald green, knee-length dress.

"Hello, Loki," she smirks, "It's great to see you."

"A-ha! That's a total lie! It's never great to see me!" Loki exclaims, accusingly pointing his finger in Circe's face.

"Yes," Circe states flatly, "Glad to see you dressed up for the occasion," she remarks, glancing down at his classic everyday blue sweater and black jeans ensemble.

"Oh, sorry," Loki sarcastically states, leaning against the doorframe, "I forgot to not wear pants today," he smirks.

"So, um, can we come in?" Erin squeaks, quickly intervening before a fight breaks out.

…

Five minutes later, Vidcund and the twins have come down the staircase and are seated with Loki, Circe, and Erin in the living room. Circe and Erin are sitting next to each other on the loveseat while Loki drills them with questions about their relationship from the adjacent chair.

"So, Erin," Loki speaks, sporting a fake smile, "what do you think about Circe trying to have a baby with someone other than you?'

"Loki!" Vidcund hisses from his spot on the carpet.

Loki shrugs, "It's just a question."

"Actually, I'm ecstatic about the opportunity to be a mother," Erin responds, patting Circe's hand with her own, "I always wanted to have children, but I never wanted to be the one to get pregnant, so this works out perfectly."

"You're joking," Loki says, his face falling at this news. All of a sudden, the doorbell rings, the sound chiming throughout the residence. "And there's the door!" Loki announces, smiling at this lifeline as Vidcund tilts his forehead, puzzled. "I'll be right back, ladies."

Loki answers the door, unaware that Vidcund has gotten up after him. "It's about time you got here," Loki hisses to the sim on the other side of the doorframe.

Vidcund rounds the corner and stops in front of his brother. "What's Pascal doing here?" he wonders.

"Oh, he was just in the neighborhood," Loki explains, flashing an innocent smile.

"No, I wasn't," Pascal cluelessly responds, "You told me to come over here."

Loki leans forward and slaps his leg, letting out a fake laugh. He stands up straight and slaps Pascal hard on the shoulder before turning back to Vidcund, "Good one," he chimes, his mouth instantly shifting into a line, "Get in here, crazy," he commands, gently pushing Pascal towards the dinner table.

Vidcund grabs Loki by the arm and lowers his voice a register. "Why did you invite my brother over?" he whisper-hisses.

Loki shrugs, pretending to act baffled by the whole situation, "No reason. I just thought you'd want to have him here."

"This is all a part of some elaborate scheme, isn't it?" Vidcund retorts, "You're just trying to get Pascal jealous, so he splits the two of them up," Vidcund claims, Loki raising an eyebrow at this accusation, "Well, joke's on you, because Pascal doesn't have a crush on Circe, and this is a horrible idea!"

"Noted," Loki beams, "Now, let's eat dinner."

…

Ten minutes later, all seven sims are sitting around the nicely-decorated dining table, a rather large spread of food laid out in front of them. Loki grabs a breadstick and aggressively takes a bite of it from his seat at the head of the table. Vidcund and the twins are seated adjacently to the right of him while Pascal, Circe, and Erin are seated adjacently to the left.

"So," Circe begins after everyone's been served the first course, "Would you care to hear the story of how we fell in love?" she asks, smirking at Loki as she says this.

"I would rather vomit," Loki quips, taking another bite of his breadstick. Erin frowns.

"Hey Circe," Pascal states, smiling at her from the side, "Want to see a picture from Tycho's last band concert? He's been practicing hard, and he really wanted me to show you."

Circe nods, "Yeah," she answers, taking the phone from Pascal and staring down at the photo on his screen, "Aww. Oh my gosh! Did he make first chair?" Pascal nods as Loki gets up to serve the main course, "I'm so proud of him."

Across the table, Atom yawns and pretends to stretch his arms out as Loki sets the piping hot roast next to the centerpiece. "Man," Atom says, getting up slightly, "I sure feel like dancing on the table-"

Vidcund moves his hand forward, pulling Atom back into his seat, "No."

A few minutes later, everyone is busy devouring the main course. Circe and Loki are glaring at each other, seemingly in a stand-off while they tear through their pot roast. "Dad," Ceres squeaks, turning to Vidcund, who is a tad terrified by the display unfolding in front of them as well, "Can Atom and I eat upstairs?"

Vidcund nods. "You don't know how lucky you are," he says, shaking his head. Atom and Ceres quickly grab their plates and race up the stairs.

"Erin, sweetie," Circe beams, staring lovingly at her girlfriend as she sets her fork down on her dessert plate, forty minutes after the main course was served, "Why don't we tell Loki about how in love we are?" she asks as Pascal fidgets in his seat next to her.

"Hey Vidcund," Loki chimes, turning away from his food for a moment to gaze overexuberantly at his boyfriend, "why don't you tell Circe about how much I pleasure you in bed-" Loki turns to the side only to find Vidcund's seat empty, "Huh. Smart man," he awes as Pascal scoots his chair back, stands up from his seat, and sets his carefully-folded napkin onto his empty dessert plate.

Pascal and Erin both exit the area, leaving Loki alone with Circe for the first time that evening. "Admit it," Loki hisses, standing up from his seat as Circe starts stacking the dirty plates, "You're dating her just to get back at me!"

"What would I possibly have to get back at you for?" Circe questions, stopping what she is doing to glare at him, "It's not like you cheated on me and had a secret affair with my ex-boyfriend behind my back then kicked me out of our house after you exposed the affair in your Nobel Prize acceptance speech only for me to find out later that you were secretly in love with my college roommate and the only reason why you proposed to me in the first place was because she said no and you were desperate!" she rants, growing angrier and more animated with each passing second, "It's not like that _AT ALL_!" she flames, poking Loki angrily in the chest.

"Good," Loki says finally, too dense to notice the sarcasm, "so we've established that I'm not the problem."

Circe rolls her eyes and throws her dirty napkin on the tabletop, "You are such an idiot, Loki!" she shouts, storming out of the kitchen.

…

Meanwhile, Vidcund is conversing with Erin in the living room, apologizing for the monstrous dinner that just occurred thanks to Erin's brother and her new girlfriend. "I'm so sorry, Erin," Vidcund sincerely states, anxiously tracing patterns on the arm of the sofa, "I tried to make this less of a catastrophe, but I shouldn't have underestimated Loki's natural ability to ruin things."

"It's alright," Erin smiles, giving a small nod, "To tell you the truth, Loki's handling this a whole lot better than I thought he would."

"Huh. Well, that's sad," Vidcund replies, leaning back at this comment. All of a sudden, Vidcund sits up from the couch, noticing Pascal slipping out of the front entrance a few feet away. "Hang on, Erin. I gotta go do something," Vidcund informs her.

Intrigued and somewhat concerned by his brother's quick, quiet, and uncharacteristically uneventful exit, Vidcund follows Pascal onto the front porch, only to be greeted by the sound of crickets chirping into the night.

"Pascal!" Vidcund calls out after him, causing his older brother to stop mere inches from the top of the front porch staircase. Pascal turns to face him, his face surprisingly expressionless. "What? So, you're just going to leave without saying anything?"

"I guess so," Pascal nods, his hands in his pockets as he awkwardly stands away from him.

Vidcund cocks his forehead, clearly puzzled, "What's wrong?" he wonders, "You haven't been your usual, goofy self today."

"Nothing," Pascal answers suddenly, "I just wanna get home," he states, gesturing his thumb at his residence.

"Oh," Vidcund says, "Look, I'm really sorry about whatever the hell that was," he apologizes, feeling partially responsible for it even happening in the first place, "Ever since Loki found out about Circe and Erin's relationship, he's so convinced that they don't belong with each other," Vidcund explains, "He's been trying to find some way to tear them apart. But, I don't know, I think they seem really happy together," he beams.

Pascal swallows, unable to look Vidcund in the face. "Yeah," he squeaks.

"Oh my God," Vidcund steps forward, plainly seeing the pain in Pascal's eyes, now wondering why he had never noticed it before, "Loki was right. You like Circe."

Pascal turns away from his brother, feeling like he just got punched in the stomach by his words, before turning back slightly and meeting Vidcund's eyeline with sincerity. Pascal shrugs, "What do you want me to say? That I don't like the woman who stood by me, kept me sane, and helped me raise my child?" he says into the wind, "You know I can't do that!" he cries, on the verge of tears.

"I know," Vidcund responds, unable to believe that this revelation is actually happening, "It's just- I thought-"

"That we were just friends?" Pascal completes, "Well, so did I," he confesses, ending with a sigh, "I think right around marriage number three I started feeling something different," Pascal explains, taking a step towards Vidcund, "-And you can't tell her," he states firmly.

"What? Why?"

"Because…" Pascal states, turning away once more, "she hasn't liked someone this much since Loki."

"Right," Vidcund speaks dubiously, giving his eyes a roll, "And we all know how well _that_ turned out."

A loud bang is heard beside them as a salt grinder crashes through the living room window, a small cloud of glass sprinkling onto the stone front porch, followed immediately by boisterous bickering from Circe and Loki within the residence's medieval-styled walls. The salt grinder hurls past Vidcund's head, barely missing him.

"Still..." Pascal continues, awkwardly taking a step away from the fallen object, "I don't want to drive what may most likely be her one chance at happiness away. So please," Pascal begs, tears forming in the corners of his eyes as he stares pleadingly at his brother, _"Please_ don't wreck this for her."

"Alright," Vidcund nods, hard to see his brother so broken as he holds his hand up in the classic scout's honor position, "I promise."


	10. Taking the Fall

**Snapshots From A New Strangetown**

 _Chapter Ten – Taking the Fall_

Circe smiles as she walks down the Road to Nowhere. Normally, she would have the carpool drive her home from Strangetown Hospital, but since it was a surprisingly comfortable seventy-three degrees out, she decided to leave work early to walk home. She turns the corner at Tesla Court, her 30th birthday celebration at work still fresh on her mind. Circe doesn't care much for parties, but she loved the attention that was lavished upon her at lunchtime. It has been a while since Loki gave her much attention, and she is beginning to suspect there is a cheeky reason why.

"Loki!" Circe chimes, walking into the main archway of their estate. She scans the area, met by an empty first floor. "Huh," she says puzzled, hands perched on her hips, "I guess he's not home." Circe walks past the grand staircase, about to pour herself a glass of rosé when the sound of Loki cursing catches her attention. "Loki?" Circe squeaks, slowly grabbing onto the handrail and making her way up the stairs.

"Shit!" Loki curses as Circe pushes her way into the master bedroom. He yanks the blankets up, attempting to conceal his naked body and flashes her a nervous smile from the mattress, "Uh, hey honey," Loki speaks, doing his best to remain casual, "What are you doing home so early?"

Circe steps forward, staring down at the giant, oddly-shaped lump underneath the blanket. Loki follows her eyeline and laughs apprehensively. "Loki," Circe states, staring back at her husband, her blood pressure rising as he smiles at her, "Are you cheating on me?!"

"It would appear so. Yes," Loki answers honestly.

Circe clenches her fists, her face growing redder by the moment, "And you're sleeping with them in _our_ bed?!"

"Look," Loki replies, holding his hand out in front of him, "as bad as you think this is…it's probably much worse."

Circe leans forward and grabs the comforter, causing Loki to immediately panic. He moves abruptly, accidentally kicking the lump.

"Oww! Loki!" the sim cries as Circe rips off the bedsheets, uncovering Vidcund, who is rubbing his freshly-injured face. Vidcund looks to Circe and sweatdrops, "Uh…hi?" he waves.

"What the hell?!" she shrieks.

"It's-it's not what it looks like!" Loki retorts, the pair covering up their indecency, "This is for an experiment."

Circe folds her arms, raising her eyebrow at them, "An experiment?" she repeats.

"Yeah!" Loki replies, not giving it a second thought, "We're uh, testing the effects of nakedness on hyper-optical material to study the long-standing consequences of uh…" Loki turns to the side and nudges an anxious Vidcund in the shoulder, "Come on, you're the biologist. Help me out here!" he cries, waving his arms in front of him. Vidcund shrugs, causing Loki to turn back to Circe with a sigh, "Okay, I'll admit it. I got nothing. – Wait!" Loki exclaims, pausing for a moment as his brain starts to churn, "No, no, sorry. I thought I had something there, but it was just a false alarm."

"Oh, you are unbelievable!" Circe growls. She storms out of the room. Loki gets up and immediately chases after her. Sensing his presence, Circe stops at the end of the hallway, her heart beating rapidly in her chest as she faces the spare bedroom. "How could you do this to me, Loki?" she wonders, her back turned towards him, "I loved you!"

"What?" Loki squeaks, "No, you didn't."

"Yes, I did," Circe responds, turning towards him.

Loki looks up, seeing tears in Circe's eyes for the first time since they met. "Well...s _hit_ ," he whispers.

Back in the present day, Loki is sitting on his bed early Saturday morning, feeling a tinge of empathy towards Circe after thinking back to that very day. Suddenly, Loki hears a bloodcurdling scream coming from the kitchen. Loki jumps out of bed and races down the staircase.

…

Five minutes earlier, Vidcund paces down the staircase, whistling a happy tune after waking up at his standard time, seven o'clock, on a Saturday morning. He stops in the living room and spies the discarded salt grinder from the night before on the ground. Vidcund picks it up, giving a puzzled look as he wonders how it ended up back in the house in the first place. He shrugs, goes over to the sink, and rinses it off before setting it down on the counter and pouring himself a cup of coffee.

Vidcund sits down at the table, takes a sip, and yawns. He rubs his eyes, smiling when Loki approaches the table. "Hey honey, you're up early," Vidcund comments, watching as the sim takes a seat across from him. Loki leans forward, releases a monstrous growl, and starts chewing on the table. Vidcund shrieks and springs up from his seat, quickly grabbing the cutting board to shield himself.

Suddenly, the real Loki pops into the kitchen, looking frightened. "What? What is it?" he asks, before stopping to survey the scene. He narrows in on the kitchen table, "Ah, I see you met Loki 2.0," Loki states, walking over to the clone and petting him gently on the back.

"What is Loki 2.0?" Vidcund questions, barely moving down the cutting board.

"Well, I think it's pretty obvious, Vidcund," Loki huffs, a hand perched sassily on his hip, "He's a nearly-perfect clone of me."

"He's eating the sofa," Vidcund squeaks, cowering a tad as he points to the clone, who is sure enough chewing on their expensive living room couch.

Loki sighs and grabs the squirt bottle from the end table. He walks over to the sofa and sprays Loki 2.0, who starts hissing as he does so.

"Well, I still need to work out a few kinks," Loki informs Vidcund as the latter follows Loki into the living room, "But trust me, he's anatomically correct," he states. Behind him, Loki 2.0 is chewing on the right sleeve of his classic, navy-blue Loki sweater.

"God, I really don't want to know how you know that," Vidcund groans.

"What kind of scientist would I be if I didn't?" Loki ponders, "I already ran all the tests, so now we've come to your part."

Vidcund facepalms, "Oh no."

"All you gotta do is sleep with the clone and tell me if it's the same as sleeping with me," Loki explains.

Vidcund crosses his arms, "No," he answers firmly.

"Come on, you don't have to go all the way! As long as you make it to third base, it should be a fairly accurate assessment-"

"Oh God, please tell me that is not what I think it is!" Vidcund cries, eyes wide as he points to a yellow puddle that has just appeared on the ground.

"Relax, it's just oil," Loki claims, waving it off. He crouches down to inspect it, sniffing the wooden floor. "No, wait. It's urine," he declares, examining it closer, "Yeah, that's definitely urine."

Vidcund steps back, holding his nose. "Get rid of that thing today! I don't want it going anywhere near the kids," Vidcund commands, "And don't just get rid of it by 'releasing it into the wild', cause last time you did that, it just came back here!"

Loki sighs and rolls his eyes, "Fine," he agrees reluctantly.

"Good," Vidcund replies, "Now we're out of here!" Vidcund stomps up the staircase and wakes up the twins, rounding them into the car from the back entrance.

"Wait!" Ceres cries, stopping before she gets into the vehicle, "Should I bring Professor Cuddles?" she squeaks, her face filled with concern.

Vidcund sighs and steps back from the car's open doorway, "Yes, you probably should."

…

Fifteen minutes later, Vidcund, Ceres, and Atom have successfully gotten out of the car and are preparing to trudge up Cover Up Road's hill. Ceres is holding her cinnamon-colored hamster, Professor Cuddles, in his little hamster habitat while Atom carries a small baggy of Professor Cuddles' food.

"Here, sweetie. Let me take him," Vidcund states, grabbing the glass hamster habitat from his daughter.

Ceres nods, "Okay."

A few minutes later, the trio has safely made it up the hill and are walking onto the old Curious brothers lot. Vidcund sighs as he stops at the entrance, giving Atom permission to ring the doorbell.

"Hey, Vidcund!" Pascal beams, throwing open the door a mere five seconds later, "What brings you guys to this side of the neighborhood?" he wonders, stepping back from the doorway to let everyone into the house.

Vidcund sighs as he gives Professor Cuddles' habitat back to Ceres, "Loki," Vidcund answers, a hint of irritation in his voice, "He uh, has to dispose of one of his experiments," he explains as Atom and Ceres show Tycho Professor Cuddles. They set his habitat on the kitchen counter.

"Another radioactive super clone?" Pascal guesses.

Vidcund shakes his head, "No, I think it's just a normal one this time."

"Ah," Pascal replies, scratching his chin in a ponder, "Well, come on, I'll give you guys the grand tour!" he insists, gesturing the trio towards him. Pascal takes two steps back and stops in the center of the TV room, "This is the closest thing we have to a living room," he announces, throwing his arms up in emphasis, "As you can see, I renovated it so that you can watch the same channel on six different screens!" he exclaims, gesturing to the wall of flat-screen televisions, all of which are displaying photos from the Curious family albums, "When they're not in use, I like to use them for electronic picture slideshows."

Vidcund nods.

"And this is our toilet," Pascal beams, leading Vidcund and the twins into the bathroom a few minutes later, "It's a mini black hole," he states, pointing down at the abyss in the porcelain white pot. Vidcund leans forward for a closer look; Pascal quickly holds him back, "Don't get too close now," he warns.

"What's this?" Vidcund asks, pointing to the stack of papers sitting on the toilet lid.

Pascal smiles and picks them up. "This is my edgy, new crime thriller!" he claims, holding up the transcript, "It's about a mouse named Detective Doodle Daring who plots to discover who really stole the cookies from the cookie jar. I write it on the toilet," he adds, proudly.

"Wow. Ookay," Vidcund says, taking a step away from his brother.

"And what tour would be complete without showing you your old room!" Pascal beams, pacing down the hallway and throwing open the door to Vidcund's old bedroom. Vidcund steps into it, the former décor replaced with medieval-style furnishings. He turns to Pascal, looking very confused. "It was Circe's room after you left," Pascal explains, playing with his hands.

"Ah."

"Hey, Pascal!" a familiar voice rings through the residence as the woman in question walks through the back door, "Can I borrow some sugar? Erin and I are making cookies," Circe says as Pascal and Vidcund wander into the kitchen from the hallway, "Keep in mind, it doesn't really matter what you say cause I'm still going to borrow it anyway," she notes, scrounging through the cabinets.

"Uh, sure," Pascal replies.

Vidcund locks eyes with his brother and points his head in Circe's direction, urging Pascal to say something. Pascal shakes his head no and mouths, 'Are you crazy?'

"Fine. Then I will," Vidcund whispers as he slowly approaches the kitchen counter. He takes a seat on the barstool in front of the microwave, "Hey Circe? I'm really sorry about yesterday," he states sincerely, "Sometimes Loki can be kinda stubborn."

Circe sighs and turns to Vidcund, her scarlet nails digging into the bag of sugar, "You know Vidcund, you can't keep apologizing for your boyfriend's shitty behavior," Circe says with a huff, "If Loki was really sorry, he would apologize himself."

"Come on, Circe," Vidcund begins, "We both know that's never going to happen."

" _Exactly_ ," she groans, "So I don't accept your apology. Now if you'll excuse me, I have cookies to bake," Circe smirks, before pivoting on her heel and sashaying out of the open doorway.

Pascal turns to Vidcund and shrugs.

…

Later that night, Vidcund is sitting on his bed in his pajamas, his head spinning after the bizarre day he just experienced. Loki sighs as he climbs in next to him, pulling the covers over his body as he turns to his boyfriend.

"Well, I got rid of the clone," he states, rather pleased with himself.

"Good," Vidcund replies, giving a small sigh of relief, "Wait. This isn't going to be like that thing where you say you got rid of the clone, but you really didn't, and then it comes back in the middle of the night and switches places with you and ties the real you up in the basement, is it?"

Loki shakes his head, "No."

"Oh, thank God!" Vidcund beams, getting under the covers.

"Yeah," Loki nods, "I sent him someplace where they could really use him."

Vidcund tilts his forehead ponderously, "Where?"

The scene flashes to an event that occurred earlier that day as Loki 2.0 sits at Loki's old desk at SimSanto Incorporated, the sun seeping in from the workplace window. Loki 2.0 is chewing on his sweater sleeve when a peeved Crystal walks over to him carrying her clipboard.

"Loki," Crystal complains, hand on her hip, "how many times do I have to tell you that you no longer work here?"

Loki 2.0 turns and hisses at her.

"Whoa!" Crystal cries. She jumps back, swiftly holding her clipboard up as a shield.

Back in the present, Vidcund is staring out at the bedroom wall, deep in thought. "You know," he states, smiling at his boyfriend, "besides all the hissing and chewing, Loki 2.0 was pretty similar to you."

"Yeah, I thought so, too," Loki agrees, "With enough work, I should be able to iron out all the kinks for next time," he states as Vidcund flashes him a look of fear that seems to scream, 'Oh dear God!' nearby. Loki sighs, his mind going a mile a minute as he thinks about everything that happened that weekend, "Do you think I made a mistake dumping Circe?" he wonders, the question immediately catching Vidcund's attention, "I mean, are you really happy being with me?"

"Okay, first of all, ouch," Vidcund responds, somewhat offended by Loki's first question, "And to answer your second question: Surprisingly, yes, I am happy to be with you."

"Aww!" Loki coos, wrapping Vidcund into a hug. Vidcund sighs as Loki holds him close, "Hey, I almost forgot to tell you. While you were gone, some strangely-shaped packages were delivered to the house."

Vidcund pushes back slightly, his stomach sinking at the news. "Strangely-shaped packages?" he repeats, his face filled with worry.

…

Vidcund slowly walks down the staircase, doing his best to avoid waking the twins at eleven at njght. Loki is following close behind him carrying a baseball bat. The pair make it down the stairs and walk over to the front door. Vidcund carefully eyes the packages that are sitting next to the doorframe. The packages are up to his waist in height and are covered in light brown packaging paper. Vidcund slowly leans forward and tears one open. He steps back, spying a pair of handlebars sticking out of the paper.

"It's a bike," Vidcund awes, tearing the rest of the paper off to reveal the bicycle. The bike is bright purple and has Ceres' name printed on the body of it. Vidcund leans forward and tears open the package next to it, which is the same-sized bike but in red and has Atom's named printed on it instead. Vidcund turns to Loki, who is still holding up the baseball bat, "Did you order bikes for the twins?" he wonders.

Loki shakes his head, setting the bat down next to him. "I don't think so," he replies, spotting a piece of folded paper resting on the ground underneath the packaging paper. He points down at it, causing Vidcund to bend over and pick it up.

Vidcund opens the card and reads it over. "It says it was ordered from 95 Bard Boulevard," he states, the connection dawning on him almost instantly, "They're from Lazlo," he states, turning to Loki with a shrug.

"Oh," Loki squeaks, "I guess he got your message, huh?"

"I guess so," Vidcund nods, sitting down next to the bikes, "What am I going to do, Loki?" he wonders as Loki joins him on the floor, "I can't give the twins these bikes. They don't even know Lazlo exists! What am I supposed to say to them?"

"That you have another brother and he's back in your life?" Loki suggests, as if it's obvious.

Vidcund turns to the wall, letting out a heavy sigh. "Man, that's going to be an awkward conversation. I can picture it now: 'Hey kids? Remember how I told you to always be nice to each other? Turns out Daddy's a hypocrite, shut his own brother out of his life ten years ago, and wrote him out of the timeline!'" he states mockingly.

Loki chuckles before staring at Vidcund lovingly, "I think you'll be fine."

"Maybe," Vidcund sighs, "Now, let's put these bikes away, so I can plan out what I'm going to say to them-"

"WOW!" Ceres chimes from the top of the staircase, "New bikes!" she proclaims. Vidcund and Loki freeze in place, "Atom, wake up! Dad got us new bikes!"

Vidcund turns to Loki and sighs, stepping away from the bicycles so the twins can get a closer look. Atom and Ceres race down and hug the brightly-colored bikes.

"Actually, they're uh, from your uncle," Vidcund speaks, rubbing the back of his neck, suddenly feeling quite awkward.

"Uncle Pascal got us new bikes?" Atom repeats, getting on his bicycle, "That is so cool!"

"Uh, no," Vidcund replies, "They're from your Uncle Lazlo."

Ceres tilts her forehead, "You mean the guy on TV with the summer camp?"

"What? No," Vidcund states, shaking his head as Loki snickers behind him, "Atom, Ceres," he begins, turning to both of his adoptive children, "I have a younger brother, and I never told you guys about him because…I…" Vidcund stops abruptly, having a hard time pushing the words out.

"Because I made him cut your uncle out," Loki jumps in, causing the trio to stare at him in puzzlement.

" _What_?" Vidcund squeaks.

"Yeah," Loki says, giving Vidcund a piercing stare, "I didn't like him, so I made your father choose, which is a horrible thing to do, so don't ever do that, kids," Loki says, quickly moseying out of the room before they can respond.

Vidcund quickly trails Loki into the kitchen, stopping him once he reaches the refrigerator door. "What are you doing?" Vidcund whispers, standing in front of the vintage, silver appliance, "Why would you take the fall?"

"Because," Loki begins, sighing as Vidcund continues to block the fridge, "the kids already don't respect me. But if they don't respect you, then we'll lose all leverage as parents," Loki states, "And we're really going to need that going into the teenage years."

Vidcund steps forward, tears forming in his eyes as he pulls Loki into an embrace, "Thank you."

Loki nods, swings open the refrigerator door behind Vidcund, and takes out the milk. He hugs him back and smiles, "No problem."


	11. Flashbacks: Vidcund Edition

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! This chapter is the first in a series of flashback chapters. Each chapter centers on one of the four main characters and starts around the time Loki won the Nobel Prize, twelve years prior to most of the oneshots. As always, feel free to let me know what you think! And thanks so much for reading! :D

* * *

 **Snapshots From A New Strangetown**

 _Chapter Eleven – Flashbacks: Vidcund Edition_

It's a shiny Saturday morning at the Curious residence, and a thirty-one-year-old Vidcund Curious is face planting on the kitchen counter, groaning into the linoleum surface, his arms spread out in front of him. Intrigued, Pascal approaches him, holding a baby Tycho in his arms. "Hey, Vidcund!" Pascal beams, staring curiously down at his brother, "Typical Saturday, huh?" Vidcund sighs and rolls his head over to face him. Pascal raises an eyebrow, "What's the matter, Vid? I thought you'd be happy that Loki is finally being recognized by the scientific community."

"I am," Vidcund replies, lifting his head up from the counter, "It's just…I know he's going to dump me."

"Now come on," Pascal begins, "you don't know that."

"Yes, I do," Vidcund says, staring down at the floor somberly, "Loki told me last night that now that he's famous, he doesn't need a boyfriend anymore," he confesses, playing with his hands, looking as though he is about to cry, "Let's face it, Pascal, a Nobel Prize winner needs a stellar partner, and you and I both know Circe fits that bill better than I do."

Pascal steps forward, placing a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. "Cheer up, Vid. Maybe this won't be so bad," he tells him, "I mean, now that you're gonna be single again, you can pursue that guy you were always interested in."

"Jason?" Vidcund squeaks; Pascal nods. "Nah, he's married," he answers, quickly waving away the thought, "And, trust me, after Loki dumps me, I'm not going to want to pursue anyone else for a while."

…

Three hours later, Vidcund is sitting at one of the lavishly-decorated tables near the center of the Nobel Prize Banquet Hall matching the crowd's formal attire, watching as the man of the hour prepares to walk up to the podium to make his speech. Vidcund sighs, staring across the room at Circe, who is sitting at the grand table with the council of voters, chatting them up, dressed in a luxurious emerald gown. Even though he is long over her, Vidcund can't argue that Circe is the most elegant one in the room.

"Ladies and gentleman, I'd like to thank you all for coming to honor me, the greatest human being that the world has ever known," Loki begins, gazing out at the crowd as he holds up the award, "I'd like to thank myself for this prestigious award because, let's face it, my scientific successes were a result of me alone…"

Vidcund sighs as he thinks back to the last words Loki said to him Friday night…

…

Loki and Vidcund are standing beside the outside door that leads to Vidcund's bedroom, the door opened slightly to let in the crisp desert air. Vidcund steps forward, the clock on the wall behind him close to midnight. "But…where does that leave me?" he wonders, halfway through what may likely be the toughest conversation of his life.

Loki stares down at the sand, his hands in his pockets, his face devoid of all emotion, "Now that I've won the Nobel Prize, Vidcund, I don't want a boyfriend anymore."

"Oh," Vidcund squeaks, his eyes trailing to the floor as he fails to mask his disappointment. Loki moves forward and pecks him gently on the lips before rubbing Vidcund once on the arm. Vidcund can't tell if the action is affectionate or friendly.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Loki greets.

Vidcund sighs as he watches Loki walk down the hill and disappear into the night. The clock chiming midnight in Vidcund's bedroom.

…

Back in the present day, Loki continues with his speech, getting more enthusiastic with each sentence, the entire town hanging on his every word, "And now that I have successfully achieved everything I could ever want career-wise, it's time for me to finally be myself and do what I've always wanted. Circe," Loki begins, staring down at his adoring wife. At his acknowledgment, Circe sits up straighter in her seat and stares lovingly at him, "We're through!" he declares, "I'm sick of you using me to boost your career, and I'm in love with Vidcund!"

The crowd collectively gasps as Circe starts wailing from the front table. She blurts into tears and runs out of the room, igniting total pandemonium behind her. In front of Loki, the council members look stunned, but no one is more stunned than Vidcund. The plant biologist slowly stands up from the table when he eyes Loki jumping off the stage. Loki joins him at the back of the room.

Loki scans the area, raising his eyebrows at the panicked sims around them. "Huh. I didn't think they'd take it this bad."

"Loki, what are you doing?" Vidcund wonders, still shocked from this whole ordeal, "I thought you said you didn't want a boyfriend."

"I don't," Loki confirms, placing his hands back into his pockets as a small fire erupts in the corner of the room, "So, uh, you wanna be my husband?"

Vidcund blushes slightly as he backs into the corner. A few plates exploding in the nearby flames, "Uh…okay."

Loki smiles and pulls Vidcund into a warm embrace, his eyes widening as he sees Crystal exiting the hall with Lazlo across the room. Loki steps back and points his thumb over his shoulder. "I have to use the bathroom. Just pack up your stuff, and I'll see you at the castle."

"Okay," Vidcund replies, in disbelief that this is actually happening. Loki races out the door as Vidcund lingers behind him, stopping at the exit door. Vidcund sighs as he gazes back at the empty banquet hall, which now looks like a tornado has run through the middle of it, thinking about how surprisingly grateful he is to be in this moment. A few peaceful moments pass before Vidcund turns towards the exit. He steps back when Circe stomps into the doorway, her tearful expression shifting to unbridled rage when she locks eyes with the man who stole her husband.

"You know, Vidcund," Circe hisses, crossing her arms over her chest, "a civil sim would congratulate you for winning my husband, but you should know by now that Loki is no prize," she growls. Circe leans menacingly towards him and lowers her voice to a sinister register, "And you will _never_ be enough for him."

Vidcund shivers, watching as Circe leans back, swerves on her heel, and trudges off the premises. Lazlo walks through the doorway, puzzled by the fuming woman who has just walked past him. He shrugs it off and races over to his brother, his mind clearly on other matters.

"Vidcund! Thank God I found you!" Lazlo chimes, a deeply-troubled expression on his face, "Look, I know this day has been insane for you, but it's about to get weirder," he tells him. Lazlo steps back and breathes a heavy exhale, nervously running his fingers through his hair. "Crystal just told me Loki hit on her after the ceremony," Lazlo confesses, "I'm sorry."

"What?" Vidcund squeaks, "Come on, Lazlo. There's no way that happened."

"Vidcund, it's true," Lazlo assures him, "Do you really think I would lie to you?"

Vidcund rolls his eyes and steps back, folding his arms over his torso, "Why can't you just admit that you never liked him? Ever since Loki and I started dating, you kept finding excuses for us to split up!"

"They weren't excuses, they were good reasons," Lazlo argues, "And I can't believe that you think that I would make up lies to ruin your relationship!"

"Well, I do think that because you are," Vidcund counters, turning away from him, "And if you can't respect the fact that Loki and I are together, then I don't want to see you anymore!"

"That's perfect. That works out great," Lazlo retorts, "Cause guess what, buddy? Crystal and I are already moving to Veronaville, so you don't have to worry about seeing me ever again!"

"Wait, what?!" a familiar voice chimes in behind them.

Vidcund and Lazlo immediately turn around only to find Pascal standing in the doorway a few feet away from them, looking positively broken inside.

"Oh…uh, I'm leaving, Pascal," Lazlo tells him as he slowly walks over to his oldest brother, "Crystal and I are moving to Veronaville. She says she really needs a fresh start."

"Wow, that's great, Lazlo," Pascal replies, doing his best to conceal his sadness, "I'm really happy for you. Vidcund and I will miss having you around."

"Yeah…about that, Pascal," Vidcund begins, anxiously rubbing the back of his head, "I'm leaving too. After this, I'm going to pack my things and move in with Loki," he confesses, "But at least I'll still be in town, right?"

Pascal stands in place, holding in tears, "Oh, perfect," he squeaks, "I, uh, gotta go."

"Wait, I'll go too," Lazlo speaks up before turning to glare at Vidcund, "It'll be more worth my time than what I was doing before," he quips.

Vidcund glares at Lazlo as he exits the room, Vidcund's youngest brother passing by Loki in the doorway.

"Hey, where have you been?" Vidcund wonders.

"Oh, um," Loki stutters, Vidcund's question taking him slightly off-guard, "I was in the bathroom, remember?" he asks, "Now, let's get your stuff."

…

Vidcund smiles, giving a huge sigh of relief as he packs up his last box at the Curious residence. The biologist steps back and stares wondrously at his old bedroom, which is now down to its bare essentials. He walks out into the hallway, slamming the door shut before the memories convince him to stay. Vidcund steps into the kitchen and sets the box on the counter, Circe storming right past him and into the hallway, catching his eye. Vidcund turns to Pascal, who is standing at the edge of the counter with his arms crossed, "Was that Circe?" Vidcund wonders.

Pascal says nothing and wraps his arms around his brother. He bursts into tears.

"Whoa, Pascal, it's okay," Vidcund consoles as he hugs him back, attempting to soothe him, "It's not like we're never going to see each other again."

"I know," Pascal squeaks, pulling away from Vidcund to wipe the tears away from his eyes, "It just feels like it's the end of an era."

…

"Oh man, I am so happy," Loki beams, spooning Vidcund that night on the living room sofa. The room is surprisingly calm and peaceful around them as the flame from the fireplace lights up the area with a soft, golden hue, "I can't wait to marry you."

Vidcund sits up on the sofa slightly, a chill tingling down his spine. He doesn't know why, but for some reason his heart sinks at these words.

…

Five months later, Loki and Vidcund are standing at the front of the fanciest church in Strangetown holding hands, dressed head to toe in formal attire, while half of Strangetown watches them exchange their vows in front of a priest on their wedding day.

"And do you, Vidcund, take Loki to be your husband?" the priest asks.

Vidcund turns to the side and stares out at the crowd, looking positively terrified. "I-uh…" Vidcund stalls, feeling like his world is spinning out of control as the thought of forever floods his mind, "I…OH GOD!" Vidcund cries, letting go of Loki's hands and racing off the stage, leaving everyone in a stunned silence.

Loki crouches down at the altar, feeling like someone just stabbed him in the chest. "I just spent a hundred thousand simoleons to get dumped," he mutters, utterly devastated.

Pascal stands up from his seat in the front row and walks over to him. He sits down next to Loki. "So, uh, I know this may not be the appropriate time to ask this, but…can we still eat the free food?" he wonders. Loki slowly lifts his head up and shoots daggers at him.

…

A few days later, after surviving the most disastrous wedding in Strangetown, Vidcund is back living with his brothers in the Curious estate. Upon finding out that Vidcund finally came to his senses and left Loki, Lazlo has temporarily moved back into his old room for a month to offer emotional support.

"Well, look at it this way, Vid," Pascal tells his middle brother as the three of them eat at the kitchen island one morning, "at least you got out before you potentially made the biggest mistake of your life," he states.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Vidcund replies, somberly shifting around his cereal with his spoon, "I guess it's better to be content and single than miserable and tied down."

Lazlo nods, "I'm so glad you're out of that relationship, Vidcund," he grins, "Loki is so controlling. He's no good for you."

Vidcund gives a small laugh, "Huh. Yeah," he states. Vidcund continues to fiddle with his cereal, giving a small wave as his brothers both exit the premises for two different destinations. Vidcund scans the area and pushes his bowl of cereal away from him, reaching into his pocket. He pulls out his cell phone, presses one on his speed dial, and holds the device up to his ear.

"Hey, come over," Vidcund pleads once the sim picks up.

A mere five minutes later, Loki arrives at the door outside of Vidcund's bedroom, carefully scanning the area a few times before pounding on the door. Vidcund swings open the door and kisses Loki, pulling him into the residence.

"This doesn't mean anything," Vidcund reminds him as he stares into his ex-fiance's eyes.

Loki nods, still holding onto him, "Right. Of course not," he confirms before the pair continue their passionate tryst.

…

After a few weeks of the same old story, Vidcund yawns as he sits at his seat in front of the microwave, exhausted from the night before. Pascal sighs as he pours Vidcund a cup of coffee. He hands it to his middle brother before pouring one for Lazlo, who is sitting in the TV room.

"Geez, Vid," Pascal says, shaking his head as Vidcund struggles to keep his eyes open, "I know you and Loki just broke up, but you don't need to keep Woohooing random dudes at three in the morning!"

"Sorry," Vidcund mutters, taking a sip of his coffee.

Pascal pauses, waiting until Lazlo exits into the hallway before leaning down and narrowing his eyes at Vidcund. "I know you're back with Loki!" Pascal whisper-hisses.

"What?! How?" Vidcund squeaks, his face flushed.

Pascal sighs, "Your room smells like his bodywash."

Vidcund cocks an eyebrow, "How do you know what his bodywash smells like?"

"We lived with him for three months a year ago," Pascal reminds him, "Why does everyone keep forgetting that?"

Vidcund sighs as he carefully sets his coffee cup on top of the microwave, now knowing he has no choice but to confess, "Okay, fine. I'm back with Loki," Vidcund reveals, "Please don't tell Lazlo."

"So, what are you doing? Just stringing him along?" Pascal squeaks, "Cause you left him at the altar three weeks ago. I gotta imagine that pain is still fresh for him."

"I don't know what I'm doing, Pascal," Vidcund answers honestly.

Pascal sighs and stares down at his brother, face filled with sincere worry, "Well, you better figure it out soon before you both get hurt."

…

Later that night, Vidcund is sitting on his bed, still mulling over Pascal's advice from that morning. Vidcund sits up on the bed, a light knock disrupting his thoughts. Vidcund sighs as he opens the doorway, Loki's face lighting up when he sees him.

"There you are!" Loki beams, moving towards him, "God, I'm so horny. I've been wanting you all day-" Vidcund holds his hand up, stopping Loki from entering his bedroom, "Uh, what are you doing?" Loki wonders.

"Loki," Vidcund sighs, "I think we need to talk."

"Oh no," Loki replies, his face falling at this announcement, "Let me guess: You're having a microscopic sliver of doubt, so you're going to dump me before you get hurt?" Loki completes for him, turning towards the vast desert, "Great. Thanks, Vid," he sarcastically spews, "I'm so glad you told me this _after_ I built my feelings up again!"

"Loki, come on," Vidcund pleads, grabbing Loki by the arm and nudging him towards him, "it's not like that. I just don't think it's a good idea for us to get so involved with each other again so soon," he confides, "I think we both need some time apart to heal ourselves. I mean, I just left you at the altar. Aren't you mad at me?"

"No," Loki responds, not even needing to think this question over, "I love you, Vidcund," he states intensely, his eyes watering, "And I just really want you back."

…

Two months later, Vidcund sits on the bed in the master bedroom of the Beaker castle, his hand on his stomach, as he thinks back to all of the decisions that have brought him to this moment. _"What if I hadn't have taken him back? What if I hadn't have moved out again? What if I hadn't have looked through that telescope?"_ he wonders, the life growing inside him almost impossible to bear. Vidcund knows he is psyching himself out, but he also knows there is no way Loki will stay with him now.

"Loki," Vidcund squeaks as his boyfriend sits down next to him on the bed, "I'm pregnant. And you can't tell anyone," he begs.

"You're pregnant?" Loki repeats, unable to process what he is hearing, "When did this happen?"

"It happened the night after I moved in with you…you know, the second time?" Vidcund answers, his heart pounding rapidly in his chest, "I got abducted, and I'm pretty sure the pollinators did this to me," he adds. Vidcund stares out at Loki, his partner's expression unreadable, "So, uh…are you gonna dump me? I'm not stupid, Loki," Vidcund reminds him, "I know this may be too much."

Loki shakes his head, this situation surprisingly not fazing him, "No," he states, "I'm not heartless. This doesn't change how I feel about you."

…

Six months later, a very visibly pregnant Vidcund is ducking behind the staircase, doing his best to hide from the maid as she cleans up the house. Vidcund breathes a heavy sigh of relief as she packs up the last of her cleaning supplies and exits the premises, passing by Loki on her way out the door. "Vidcund?" Loki calls out, searching the house for his boyfriend, "Vidcund?"

"I'm down here," Vidcund replies. He watches as Loki trudges down the basement staircase and walks into the room.

Loki sighs as he finds Vidcund in his hiding place behind the staircase. Ever since Vidcund had started showing, he refused to let anyone but Loki see him. "Vidcund, this isn't healthy," Loki states, sounding like a broken record, "And that says a lot coming from me. If you don't go outside and start having a life again, people are going to start thinking that I'm abusing you."

"I know. I'm sorry," Vidcund squeaks, hugging his own body, feeling more anxious by the second, "You know how hard this is for me."

"Viddy," Loki smiles, "you know I think you're sexy," he says, pulling Vidcund towards him and into a comforting embrace, "And nothing's changed. I mean that," Loki reassures him, stepping back slightly to gaze into Vidcund's eyes, holding his hand snugly, "Now come on, come upstairs with me."

Vidcund nods slowly, wiping the tears away from his eyes with his free hand. "Okay."

…

Vidcund shrieks as his water breaks on the living room floor, causing the biologist to immediately shift into a panic. Hearing this, Loki springs up from the kitchen table and races over to him. Loki grabs his boyfriend by the hand, "Vidcund, come on, let's get you to the hospital-"

"No!" Vidcund shouts, pushing Loki away from him, "I can't let anyone see me. I have to have the babies here."

"What?! No! I don't know anything about delivering children," Loki cries, "Damn it! I'm a physicist, Vid, not an obstetrician!"

"I don't care! Just get these things out of me!" Vidcund yells, plopping down on the floor as his contractions start.

Vidcund screams as he goes into labor, the answering machine picking up a call behind them as Loki crouches down to assist Vidcund. Lazlo's voice rings from the machine and echoes throughout the premises, " _Hey, Vidcund. I uh, haven't seen you in a while,_ " Lazlo greets, his voice filled with hurt, " _Crystal and I had our wedding shower yesterday, and – I don't know – I guess I just really thought you would be there…it was stupid of me to think that, I know, cause I haven't seen you since you got back together with him…but I did,_ " Lazlo pauses and audibly sniffles, " _So, um…call me back if you want to. Bye._ "

Two hours later, after the worst pain of his life, Vidcund is standing a few feet from the sofa, pacing as Loki finishes swaddling the newborn twin alien babies on the cushions. "Aww," Loki states, "You know, they are kind of cute."

"We can't keep them," Vidcund says suddenly, covering his eyes with his hands, unable to even look at the babies, "I have to give them away," he cries, on the verge of tears, "Every time I look into their eyes, I just think about what that pollinator did to me."

"Alright," Loki replies. He walks over to Vidcund and wraps his arm around him, pulling him into a side hug. "It's okay," he says consolingly, knowing he has to be the brave one for the two of them, "I'm sure someone would love to adopt them."


	12. Flashbacks: Circe Edition

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! So this chapter ended up being way longer than I expected, and I had an absolute blast writing it. Since Circe has so much backstory to cover (mostly due to her long list of exes), future chapters will feature more of it. I really hope you enjoy this chapter, and feel free to leave me a review letting me know what you think! :D

* * *

 **Snapshots From A New Strangetown**

 _Chapter Twelve – Flashbacks: Circe Edition_

"Congratulations, Grainne. You have a beautiful baby girl!" the head doctor at Strangetown General Hospital states, cradling the newborn in his arms. He smiles as he finishes swaddling up the baby before handing her to her mother.

Grainne tears up when she holds her first born child, who gives a small squeak as Grainne cradles her in her arms. "Aww…look at her, Xanthos," Grainne coos, staring up at her husband, who is vigorously pacing near the exit doors, "She's so cute." The baby yawns in her arms.

"Yeah, yeah, that's great, sweetheart," Xanthos mutters, shooing her away from his phone call. His turns his back to them, "What the hell, Lenny?! I told you not to book me that day. That's my only time to play golf!" he screams, stopping in place to roll his eyes at the ceiling, "I don't care if your grandma died yesterday. Get this shit sorted out!"

The head doctor clears his throat and turns to Grainne, who is lying down exhausted on the hospital bed, "So, what are you going to name her?"

"Hmm…" Grainne smiles as she stares down at her daughter, who is now staring wondrously at her surroundings, "I'll name her…Circe."

…

Seven years later, Circe is stepping off the school bus, which has just dropped her off in front of her house on the Road to Nowhere after another successful day at Strangetown Elementary. Circe turns to her best friend and classmate, who has gotten off the bus with her. "So, Vidcund, are you going to come to my birthday party on Saturday?" Circe asks, "I'm super excited because my Dad promised he would make it this year."

"Yeah," Vidcund nods, hanging onto his homework booklet, which has a picture of a pink cartoon rabbit on it, "As long as my mom can drive me. If not, I guess I could always borrow Pascal's bike, but I think he may have taken it apart yesterday to make parts for his spaceship."

"Sounds great! But whatever you do, don't bring your brother. He's weird," Circe states, holding open the front door for her guest.

Vidcund tilts his forehead, "You know, you're not the first person to tell me that," he says. The pair step inside as the phone rings from the kitchen.

Grainne quickly picks it up. "Hey, I was wondering when you were going to call," she answers, waving at Circe from the open doorway, "We're still on for Saturday, right?"

" _Hmm…Saturday_ ," Xanthos mumbles from the other line, " _What's Saturday?_ " he wonders.

Grainne's face instantly falls. She turns away from the doorway and steps further into the kitchen, lowering her voice to whisper, "Saturday is Circe's birthday," she hisses, praying that her daughter doesn't hear her, "You remember Circe? You know, your _daughter_?"

" _Yeah, about that…I'm not coming, Grainne._ "

"Of course you're not!" Grainne growls, growing more animated as she paces the floor, "And after six years of this nonsense, why am I even surprised anymore? You know, after everything you put us through, you could at least _pretend_ to be interested in her life!"

" _Grainne, I'm busy-_ "

"Yes, yes, I know. You're _always_ busy," Grainne mocks, completely unaware of that Circe has stepped into the doorway, "There's always something more worth your time than us, isn't there? How can you live with yourself knowing that you broke your daughter's heart again?" Grainne swerves to the right, nearly knocking into Circe in the process. Upon seeing her, Grainne stops in place, her mouth opened slightly.

"Circe!" Grainne gasps. She quickly hangs up the receiver back up on the wall and squats down to her daughter's level. Grainne consolingly places her hands on Circe's shoulders. Circe sniffs, tears in her eyes. "Daddy's not coming to your party, sweetheart," Grainne tells her, her face filled with sorrow, "I'm so sorry," she sighs, pulling Circe into her arms.

…

Twenty-two years later, Circe is eating dinner with Loki at Londoste the evening before the biggest day of Loki's scientific career, marveling over her latest workplace success. "And that was when I came up with my greatest idea yet!" she beams, eagerly staring at her husband across the table.

"Mmhm," Loki mutters, scrolling through his phone inches away from his barely-touched entrée.

Circe scrunches her forehead, "Loki? Are you even listening to me?" she wonders.

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you," Loki waves it off, not bothering to look up from his cell phone.

Circe leans back in her seat and crosses her arms, "What did I just say?"

"Psh! That's a trick question, sweetheart," Loki replies, giving a half-shrug, "You didn't say anything!" he claims, typing away on his phone as Circe shoots him a piercing glare.

Circe leans forward and snatches the device from him. She chucks it across the room. The pair watch as the cell phone lands on the velvet carpet with a thud, a look of pure satisfaction on Circe's face.

"Okay," Loki speaks up, finally turning his full attention to his wife, "Now that's just rude," he states. Circe rolls her eyes.

…

The next day, Circe is sitting at the grand table at the Nobel Prize Banquet Hall staring admiringly at her husband as he gives his Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech. She sighs as she looks around at the table of distinguished guests that she is a part of, never feeling more elated in her life. " _This is it…we're finally going to be a power couple,"_ she beams, gazing up at Loki, _"I'm finally going to be enough for him…_ "

"Circe," Loki announces, staring down at her from center stage. Circe sits up straighter in her seat and stares lovingly at him when he says her name, "We're through!" he declares, her heart breaking at this declaration, "I'm sick of you using me to boost your career, and I'm in love with Vidcund!"

The crowd collectively gasps as hundreds of eyes land on her. Circe wails from her seat, her entire world shattering around her. She swiftly gets up from the table and races out of the room before her sight is impaired by her tears. Circe stops behind the front staircase and flops down on the floor, hyperventilating into her palms as the tears flood down her cheeks. Circe sniffs vociferously, too upset to care about ruining her fifteen-thousand-simoleon emerald dress.

Circe lifts her head up slightly, spying a familiar sim sobbing a few feet away from her. "Pascal?" Circe squeaks, carefully standing up in her dress and wandering cautiously over to him, "Why are you crying?"

"My brothers are leaving me," Pascal sniffs, turning towards Circe, tears still streaming down his face, "I just feel like a part of me died."

"Yeah, well, that makes two of us," Circe replies, still standing a ways from him as she dubiously scans him over, "But at least you have someone who loves you."

"I can't live by myself, Circe," Pascal admits, never appearing more scared in his life, "I can't do things on my own. I'm scared!" he cries.

"Hmph. Well, at least you have a place to go," Circe mutters, folding her arms over her torso, "A few hours from now, after Loki throws my stuff on the lawn, I'll be homeless!"

Pascal sniffs once more, perking up a bit at this news. "Hey, I know!" he begins, turning to Circe with a grin, "You can live with me. You can be my new roommate! And we can tell ghost stories and talk about sciency-stuff. This is perfect!" Pascal chimes.

"Maybe in a state of delusion," Circe grunts, "But come on, Pascal, we both know how this would go. You'd be sick of me by the end of the week."

"No, I wouldn't," Pascal answers, "Why would you say that? That doesn't sound like me at all! You can move in and stay as long as you want to."

Circe cocks her forehead, the doubtfulness apparent on her face, "Yeah, right," Circe huffs, "Why would I trust you? Every man I've ever trusted left me!"

"I won't," Pascal promises, "I won't leave you," he states genuinely.

Circe sighs and rolls her eyes, "Yeah, _sure_."

"I'm serious," Pascal responds, "What about me is like every other man to you?"

Circe narrows her eyes at Pascal, thoroughly accessing the jubilant expression that is gracing his face, looking for any signs of deception. Finding none, Circe sighs, feeling herself caving in. "Okay fine," she agrees, "but I don't want to live in that dump you call a house. That's worse than being homeless!"

"Wow," Pascal says, the smile not leaving his face, "That's probably the nicest thing anyone's ever said about the house," he beams, gesturing towards the exit, "Now come on, let's get your stuff before Loki throws it on the lawn."

Circe nods, still in slight disbelief that this circumstance is actually happening and marveling at how surprisingly casual Pascal is being about it. "Oh, uh…alright."

…

Five hours later, Pascal walks into the Curious residence carrying the last box of Circe's belongings. He walks over to the kitchen and sets it on the island, where Circe is currently situated. "Okay," Pascal begins, awkwardly hovering near the refrigerator, "so we're just going to pretend that my brother is not currently sleeping with your husband, and that I totally didn't hear Loki screaming Scandinavian curse words through the door while I was over there."

Circe groans, propping her head up with her elbow as she turns to him, "Were you able to get everything?"

"Yeah, it was no trouble at all," Pascal explains, waving it off as he opens the fridge. He takes out a bottle of orange juice and twists it open. "So, did you decide what room you want to take?" Pascal wonders, taking a swig, "Lazlo's is bigger, but his hygiene is questionable, so you'd probably have to bug bomb it before you move in there."

Circe sighs and rubs her aching forehead, "I'll just take Vidcund's."

"Great!" Pascal beams, "Come on, I'll help you move in," he states, gesturing Circe towards the hallway. Circe raises her eyebrow at him.

…

Three days later, Circe is sitting on her new bed in Vidcund's old bedroom, reading a book entitled: _How to Squeeze Every Penny Out of Your Ex_. She turns the page, the morning sun shining through the back window, conveniently striking the pages she wishes to read.

"Hey Circe!" Pascal chimes, sticking his head into the open doorway and excitedly holding a board game out to her, "Want to play Chutes and Ladders? It's the 1975 limited edition misprinted version where box sixty-three features a scandalous swear!" he beams, shimmying the box in front of his waist.

Circe slowly puts down her book, a peculiar look spread across her face. "Uh, no thanks. I'm good," she states.

"Aww!" Pascal replies, his shoulders falling as he slumps out of the room.

"Wait!" Circe calls out, deeply puzzled by Pascal's response. The physicist walks back into the room. "Do you actually _want_ to spend time with me?"

"Well, yeah," Pascal grins, "That's what roommates do."

"Huh," Circe says, her face skewed at Pascal's surprisingly pleasant intentions, "Okay. Let's go out."

…

A couple years of great memories later, Circe and Pascal are sitting in the hallway of the Curious residence one night after celebrating Circe's latest promotion. The pair have each had a few drinks but have yet to get tipsy. "You know, Pascal," Circe says, staring up at the white, empty wall in front of them, "I really appreciate everything you've done for me. I'm not one to ever share my feelings or emotions, but I've always loved how inclusive you are," she states, her eyes shining as she gazes over at him, "I mean, when I moved in here, you gave me my own bedroom and really let me make it my own. And you actually spent time to get to know me," Circe continues, smiling as she says these words, "I guess I just want to say thanks."

"Oh," Pascal squeaks, his face flushing slightly, "You're welcome. But honestly Circe, you were the one doing me a favor. We both know I probably wouldn't have survived without you," he reveals, only half joking, "And you moving in here after my brothers left kept me sane."

The pair sit in silence, staring down at the floor tile, neither one of them knowing what to say to each other. Circe sighs as millions of thoughts race through her mind. "Hey Pascal?" Circe speaks to him, "Remember when we were teenagers, and you tried to kiss me at recess?"

Pascal lifts his head up, giving a small nose-laugh as his mind wanders back to that day. "Yeah," he answers uneasily.

"I just wanted you to know that I would've kissed you...you know, if Loki wasn't there."

"Oh," Pascal says, suddenly feeling quite awkward, "Well that's…good to know," he states, watching as Circe moves closer to him. He scans her over. "Circe, how many drinks have you had tonight?"

"Pascal, you know I'm sober," Circe replies, resting her head on his shoulder, "And if you try to kiss me now, I won't turn you away."

Pascal tenses up a bit, his heart beating rapidly in his chest as stares down at Circe, his voice lowered to a whisper, "Circe, if you didn't want it twenty-three years ago, I really don't think you'd want it now."

Circe lifts her head off his shoulder, her eyes sparkling as she stares up at him, "I do."

Pascal sighs as he looks down at Circe, the sincere expression on her face causing his heart to ache. "Well…I can't," he answers, turning away from her, "I'm sorry."

Circe nods and quickly moves away from Pascal, not wanting to show him how much his rejection stings. "Then I think I should go," she states, swiftly standing up in place. She turns towards her bedroom, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Seeing this, Pascal immediately gets up from the floor and wraps his arms around Circe, holding her close. She hugs him back, the pair inviting the silence, as there is nothing left to say.

…

One month later, Circe is at Strangetown's Annual Medical Convention, standing by the open bar in her best black pantsuit. Circe sighs as she stares down at the glass of red wine in her hand, still feeling surprisingly empty after her failed romantic pursuit. Suddenly, a man looking eerily similar to her ex-husband, Loki, pushes past her and slams his fist on the wooden bar.

"Hey, bartender! Can I get some damn service here?!" he cries, before smoothing out his high-class suit. Circe watches as the bartender fumbles behind the counter, clearly shaken by the man's outburst.

"Excuse me," Circe states, storming over to the man, who is now busy gussying himself up with a pocket mirror, "You are quite rude."

"Wow, what an acute observation," the man sarcastically spews, swiftly closing his pocket mirror and locking eyes with her, "You must be fun at parties."

Circe leans back slightly, the striking physical similarities between this man and Loki causing her stomach to churn. Their hair styles, hair color, complexion, and physique are identical, but this man's eyes are dark green.

"So, are you just going to stare, or are you going to say something to me, cutie?" the man speaks up, giving Circe a wink.

Circe sighs and immediately rolls her eyes as she turns away from him, arms crossed, "You wish," she huffs.

"The name's Jebidiah, Jebidiah Schwartz," the man introduces, holding his hand out to shake, "but my friends call me Jeb."

"Yeah, okay," Circe replies, staring up at the ceiling once more, "Well, I won't be calling you that, Jambalaya, or whatever the hell your name is."

Jeb's eyes sparkle as he gives Circe a growl. "Man, you are feisty. I like that," he coos, his eyes trailing to her outfit, "And you got good taste. You must be a Fortune sim, too, just like my ex-wife."

"After having the misfortune of talking to you for the last five minutes, I can see why she left," Circe quips, taking a sip of her wine as Jeb goes over to the bar to grab his martini.

Jeb stares down at the drink, his face turning bright red. "Hey! What the hell is this?!" he cries at the bartender, picking up the olive from the drink like it's some kind of bug, "Why is there a store-bought olive in my three-hundred-simoleon martini?" Jeb rages, shoving the olive in the bartender's face, "You really think I would digest this shit?!"

Circe watches the display unfold in front of her, the boldness of Jeb's outburst shocking her to the core. "Wow," Circe awes as Jeb rejoins her with his fresh drink, "Clearly you're a man who knows exactly what he wants," she says, oddly finding herself attracted to Jeb after being repulsed by him a mere five minutes ago, "So, what hotel are you staying at?"

…

"Do you, Circe, take Jeb to be your husband?" the priest asks five months later as Circe and Jeb stand at the front of the lavishly-decorated church, which is only second in style to the high-end gold outfits she and her soon-to-be new husband are wearing.

Circe turns looks to the crowd, pausing when she locks eyes with Pascal in front row, who has reluctantly dragged himself to the ceremony to show his support. Her face falls.

"Circe…?" the priest speaks once more.

Circe turns back to Jeb, shaking away her numerous doubts, and smiles. "I do!"

The priest nods and turns to her fiancé, "And do you Jeb-?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, just shove it, churchy!" Jeb commands, reaching into his pocket and shoving a wad of simoleons in the priest's face, igniting several horrified looks from the guests, most notably Loki and Vidcund. The latter is bouncing baby Ceres in his arms.

The priest coughs, spitting a few simoleons out of his mouth. "Then I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride-" The priest looks up, only to find the couple already going at it hot and heavy in front of the crowd. "Oh God. They did not pay me enough for this," he mutters before quickly racing out the back door.

"Well, I'm never going to eat again," Loki remarks to Vidcund, turning away from this awkward display as dozens of the guests start dispersing off the premises.

…

One month later, Circe and Jeb are walking up the front porch staircase of the Beaker castle at high noon. Jeb is carrying a box-shaped, carefully-wrapped present while Circe is locking the car with her key fob. She smiles as they travel up the staircase, linking Jeb's arm for support.

"So, why are we going to your ex-husband and ex-boyfriend's baby shower anyway?" Jeb wonders, staring down at the pastel yellow wrapping paper, "Do you not have ill will towards these two?"

"Well, Loki's a big jerk," Circe answers honestly, "but Vidcund and his brothers have always been nice to me, so I don't mind going to these events," she says, secretly hoping Jeb won't push the explanation any further, "Besides, this'll be great practice for when we have a baby."

Jeb stops at the front door, releasing a small nose laugh as he turns to her, "Yeah, right," he scoffs, "I don't breed with anyone who's beneath me."

Circe's face reddens as the door swings open in front of them, " _What_?"

"Hey guys!" Pascal greets, smiling about a mile wide as he sees the couple, "I'm so glad you could make it. Vidcund said you probably weren't going to come, but I always knew you'd show up!" he beams, his face falling when he narrows in on Circe, "Uh, are you okay?"

"She's fine, genius. Now move aside and let's get this over with!" Jeb barks, pushing Pascal back by the shoulder and storming into the residence. Circe sighs, locks eyes with Pascal, and whispers an apology.

Jeb storms into the kitchen, stopping when he comes face-to-face with Loki, who looks like he just got rolled over by a truck. "Geez Loki, you look like shit," Jeb remarks, the boorish comment making Circe herself cringe.

Loki rolls his eyes, "Thanks," he mutters, "We have twin babies, so I'm tired all the time. What's your excuse?"

Circe groans and covers her face with her hands. They have only been there for five minutes, but the secondhand embarrassment has already consumed her stomach. Pascal steps up behind her and pats Circe consoling on the shoulder.

Seeing this, Jeb swerves around and points at Pascal with rage, "Hey!" he screams, "Get your hands off my wife!" Pascal quickly puts his hand down and flashes Circe a sympathetic gaze.

Approximately fourteen to fifteen awkward situations later, Vidcund is sitting on the living room sofa holding Ceres. He is reading her the latest scientific picture book that Pascal bought her. Circe holds her breath near the doorway when she sees Jeb approach the pair. Behind them, Erin is bouncing Atom in the kitchen.

"Hey Vidcund," Jeb greets, a sly expression spread across his face.

"Oh, hey Jeb," Vidcund says, closing the book slightly when he sees him, "Are you enjoying the party?"

Jeb laughs as if this is the dumbest question in the world, "You know," Jeb begins, staring down at the biologist, "you look pretty good for a man who just pushed two babies out of his ass."

Vidcund's face flushes, clearly caught off-guard by the comment, "Uh…that's not at all how it works," he replies, hugging Ceres protectively close to him, "Atom and Ceres are Loki's genetically-modified clones. And please don't swear in front of my children."

Jeb rolls his eyes at the ceiling, the grin not leaving his face. "Well, either way, have you ever thought of modeling? You have a killer butt."

Vidcund scrunches his forehead, "I'm sorry, what?"

"Your butt is hot, Vidcund," Jeb slowly elaborates, leaning uncomfortably close to him, "I want to tap it," he states, the conversation immediately gaining the attention of Erin. She nudges her brother in the side and points towards the sofa. Loki races over to his boyfriend.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Okay, get the hell out of my house!" Loki screams, positioning himself between Vidcund and Jeb, the sound of Loki's outburst immediately attracting a crowd. Loki ushers Vidcund and Ceres away from Jeb before unleashing all hell in the young man's face.

Circe groans, quietly ducking out of the living room when she sees her ex-husband and her current husband having a showdown. Circe sighs as she plops down on the front porch, burying her face in her hands as she wonders how her life got to be so dysfunctional. Circe tenses up slightly when she hears the door creak open behind her.

"Hey Circe," Vidcund greets warmly, gently shutting the door behind him as the verbal lashing continues in the castle, "I – uh, just wanted to make sure you were alright," he says as he adjusts baby Ceres in his arms, "And I just wanted you to know that you have nothing to be embarrassed about. Everyone knows Jeb is a freak show."

Circe gives a small laugh, the statement surprisingly making her feel better. "Well, that's good to know," she says, sitting up slightly, "So, I take it you don't like him?"

Vidcund shakes his head, "No. He's like Super Loki, but without all the good qualities. Even Loki thinks Jeb is full of himself, which is just sad if you think about it for a few seconds."

"Well, he and I are probably already over anyway," Circe vents, being shockingly open about her fears, "After we got married, he turned into some kind of monster. He doesn't want to have children anymore, so I guess it doesn't take a genius to see that money and sophistication will always be his real love," she vents, giving a sigh as she stares up at the vast desert in silence, "Do you think I'm rebounding?"

Vidcund tilts his forehead, "From who?"

Circe blushes slightly, suddenly feeling rather self-conscious, "Never mind," she mutters.

Vidcund nods, Ceres fast asleep on his chest, "You just need to find someone who treats you like their number one priority, and that's not Jeb."

Circe rolls her eyes, really not in the mood to be lectured by her ex, "Speak for yourself. You're not number one in Loki's life."

Vidcund cocks his forehead, deeply confused by this statement, "If I'm not, then who is?"

Circe sighs, her hands perched on her knees as she stares back out at the sand, "You know Vidcund, sometimes I think you were the only one who really loved me."

"Oh, uh…thanks?" Vidcund replies, suddenly feeling incredibly awkward, "Um, please don't try to kiss me."

"Deal," she agrees.

…

"Well, that baby shower was a total flop! I didn't even get any action!" Jeb complains, entering their colonial-style mansion with Circe, his wife eerily silent the whole ride back to their estate.

" _Vidcund_ , really?" Circe barks, slamming the front door shut behind her and glaring at her husband, "Why did you hit on Vidcund? You knew it was his baby shower!"

"I'm just glad we're out of that hellhole," Jeb scoffs, jumping over the floral-printed sofa and taking a seat, "Those people are freaks, especially Pascal. That guy's grade-A weird."

Circe stops in place, rage washing over her. "Pascal is not weird, he's just…different," she defends, glaring down at the back of Jeb's head like he has just insulted her lineage.

"Yeah, sure he is, Circe-cake," Jeb responds condescendingly, waving it off as he rolls his eyes up at the ceiling, "Now be a dear and make me dinner."

Circe clenches her fists, a devious plan hatching in her brain as she smiles sweetly down at her soon-to-be ex-husband, "Sure thing, _sweetheart_."

…

One week later, the Beaker and the Schwartz families are gathered at the burial site at Strangetown Cemetery, all dressed in black, watching as Jeb's body gets lowered into the ground. The day is surprisingly beautiful for the somber event that is unfolding around them.

"I don't know what happened; he just died! One minute he was eating ham, and the next he was gone!" Circe shrieks, sobbing into her tissue as she turns away from the coffin, almost knocking into Loki in the process.

"You know what happened," Loki whispers, causing a look of pure panic to spread across his ex-wife's face. Loki pretends to seal his lips and throw away the key. He stomps the imaginary key into the ground and smirks, "Whoops."

Circe smiles in relief, swiftly releasing a fake sob when another sim walks past them. "I'll never love again!" she cries, swerving on her heel as she sashays away from the burial site, _"Thank God,"_ she mumbles under her breath, laughing to herself as Jeb's coffin is lowered into the ground.

She has never felt so free.


	13. Flashbacks: Pascal Edition

**Snapshots From A New Strangetown**

 _Chapter Thirteen – Flashbacks: Pascal Edition_

A seven-month-pregnant Kitty is lying down on an exam table at Strangetown General Hospital holding onto her husband's hand as she anxiously waits to see the first shot of her baby. One of Strangetown's most prestigious obstetricians is holding the ultrasound scanner up to her exposed stomach. The doctor smiles as he adjusts the image on the monitor. "Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Curious. It's a boy!"

"Aww, Glarn! Did you hear that?" Kitty beams, squeezing his hand excitedly as they both take a look at their second child, "We're having a sweet little boy."

Glarn tilts his forehead and steps forward as he squints bizarrely at the image onscreen, "Is he doing a backflip?" he asks, quickly shaking his head at the thought, "Eh, it doesn't matter, Kitty. All I know is that he'll be the son I've always wanted."

…

Ten years later, a nine-year-old Pascal Curious is racing around the modest, one-story Curious residence holding onto his first creation. He passes by his mother, who is busy teaching his youngest brother, Lazlo, how to walk. Pascal smiles as he stops in front of his father, who is reading the newspaper in the living room. "Hey, Dad. Look what I made!" Pascal shouts, holding his hands out and proudly presenting the creation to him.

Intrigued, Glarn sets down his newspaper and stares down at the zany invention, which is nothing more than a potato with two swirly, lime green pipe cleaners sticking out of the side of it. Pascal beams and bounces in excitement as Glarn examines it further. "Do you love it?" Pascal wonders, "His name is Mr. Buddy."

Glarn looks up at his eldest son and sighs, handing the potato creature back to him. "Son," he says, preparing to crush his son's enthusiasm but not taking any joy in the matter, "I am going to say this in the nicest way possible: You are a screwup," he tells him, taking off his reading glasses, "And you will never accomplish anything until you learn to take things seriously."

Glarn leans forward and pats Pascal on the back sympathetically, before standing up from the living room sofa and taking off down the hallway, leaving his son crushed.

Pascal sighs, his eyes trailing to the floor, feeling like the wind has just been knocked out of him. He drags himself over to the kitchen, opens the lid of the trashcan, and hovers his creation over it. "Wait!" a small, squeaky voice chimes out from the hallway. Pascal turns around only to find his six-year-old brother Vidcund standing a few feet behind him, wearing white pants and a bright green shirt with a spaceship on it, "Don't throw it out, Pascal," he says, "I think it's really cool!"

Hearing this, Pascal hugs the potato closer to him. "Really?" he squeaks, unable to believe what his brother is saying.

Vidcund nods, "Yeah. It's the best thing I've ever seen. I've never seen anything like it before."

Pascal smiles as he stares down at the potato pet in his arms, "Well, okay," he states, "You know, I wasn't going to make it a potato, but then I thought, 'Well, maybe just this once,'" he explains, handing it to his brother. Vidcund's face lights up as he gazes at the invention in awe. Pascal grins and wraps his arm around him, pulling Vidcund into a hug.

…

Nine years later, high school senior, Pascal Curious, surveys the scene on the school grounds at Strangetown High School, sporting his beloved hall monitor sash. Pascal stands in place as he narrows his eyes at his latest offender, pointing his pen at him as he pulls out his notepad. "Hey! Hey you, kid! You can't be reading that garbage here!" Pascal shouts, stopping at the foot of one of the picnic tables, where his middle brother, Vidcund, is sitting.

Seeing this, Vidcund closes his textbook on plant biology and flashes Pascal a baffled grin. "Uh, not to be rude, but don't you have other people to bug?"

"Nah, it's been a slow school day," Pascal replies, crossing his arms over his torso, "I guess everyone's too scared to break the law while I'm around."

Vidcund cocks his forehead at him, "You know those freshmen stole your sash again."

Pascal stares down at his sash-less chest and shakes his fist. "Damn it!" he curses, turning around and locking eyes with the group of giggling freshmen, "Get back here you hooligans!" he shouts, chasing them across the schoolyard.

Pascal stops short of the water fountain, nearly knocking into Circe in the process. "Whoa. Sorry," Pascal states apologetically as the young woman lifts her head up from the fountain, "Some crazy freshmen stole my sash," Pascal explains, oblivious to his rival, who is glaring at him from behind a bush.

Circe nods, giving a half-smile, "It's okay," she states, "You didn't knock me over, so I don't have to punch you," she says, her usual sassy self surprisingly absent, "To be honest, I'm not having the best day, either. I haven't laughed once today."

"I bet I can get you to laugh," Pascal beams, taking a step closer to her, "I'm great at getting people to laugh with me or at me," he corrects, rubbing his chin ponderously, "I can't remember which one's more accurate."

"Yeah…" Circe says, holding the books tighter in her arms, "No offense, Pascal, but if I wanted to laugh at desperation, I would go to your brother."

Pascal bursts into laughter, playfully slapping his knee at this burn, "That's a good one," he cries, wiping a single tear away from his eye. "But I can totally make you laugh! Observe."

Circe watches as Pascal bends over and carefully picks up a stick from the grass. He scans it over and snaps it in half, tossing the pieces over his shoulder. "Sneak attack!" Pascal shrieks, reaching forward and tickling Circe's stomach. She throws her head back, unable to contain her laughter as Loki fumes from behind the pair.

"Okay, stop, stop!" Circe pleads. Pascal quickly puts his hands down and steps away from her, "You win," she says, wiping a tear away from her eyelid. She sighs and smiles up at him, "You really are good at cheering me up."

Pascal nods and smiles back at her, a strange but welcoming feeling washing over him. The pair move closer to one another, staring intensely into each other's eyes. Circe looks to the left, only to find Loki shooting daggers at Pascal a few feet away from them. She steps backward and waves her hands in front of her, stopping the kiss. "Pascal, don't," Circe warns, turning away from him with a blush, "I gotta go."

Pascal sighs as he watches Circe exit the school grounds, never feeling more rejected in his life. "Well, there's no way this day can get any worse," he states somberly, before Loki immediately tackles him to the ground.

…

Fifteen years later, a thirty-three-year-old Pascal is sitting at a table at Bernard's Botanical Dining, deep in the heart of Downtown, picking his fork at the piece of white fish that his waiter just delivered to him. Pascal sighs as he stares up at his fifth date that month: a twenty-nine-year-old from Bluewater Village named Daniel, who has been yammering on about futons for the last twenty minutes. Pascal is by no means enjoying the date, but Daniel's company isn't the worst he's had recently.

"I mean, the customer wanted a scarlet sofa, but I thought teal went much better with his psychic aura," Daniel explains, his meatloaf sitting untouched in front of him.

Pascal nods, having had enough of this conversation nineteen minutes ago, "Wow. Sounds like you're quite the salesman."

"Well, they don't call me the Salesman Slayer for nothing," Daniel beams, stuffing a few pieces of steamed cauliflower into his mouth.

Pascal cocks his forehead at this piece of information, "What?"

"Hey, you have a blonde brother, right?" Daniel states, cutting into his meatloaf and taking a bite, "Is he available? Just asking for a friend," he winks.

"Uh…I don't think so," Pascal replies, getting more uncomfortable by the moment.

"That's a shame," Daniel says, shoveling the rest of his entrée into his mouth, "Cause I know a lot of people who are really into dorks-"

"Freeze! FBI!" a deep voice declares behind the couple. Pascal instantly freezes in his chair after slowly putting his hands up.

Pascal watches as a squad of agents tackle Daniel out of his seat and onto the floor as dozens of police officers and private investigators come out of their hiding places at the restaurant and swarm the table. Pascal stares down at the ground in shock, watching as his date is handcuffed and dragged into a police car.

The head police officer turns to the physicist, "Yeah, you can go ahead and take off, sir. We'll comp the bill for you."

"Oh, uh…thank you," Pascal squeaks, swiftly exiting the premises before they can change their minds.

…

Pascal sighs as he roams down the Road to Nowhere, his head reeling after his latest contender for the worst date in history. Pascal stops at the bottom of Cover Up Hill and gazes up at the stars, "It's times like these where I wish you would just take me away already," he says to the imaginary alien in the sky. He stares up at the galaxy for a few moments longer before trekking up the signature hill and stepping onto the base of his property, "But, at least I can come home to brothers who understand my romantic strife…"

Pascal walks up the front sand path, the door swinging open a mere two feet from his face. Pascal watches as his youngest brother, Lazlo, races out the doorway, dragging his girlfriend Crystal by the hand behind him. "Gotta go! We're late for All-You-Can-Eat Pizza Friday!" Lazlo announces, scurrying off the premises.

"Oh. Have fun," Pascal waves in a delayed response, still down about his romantic disaster. Pascal sighs as he steps into the residence, hoping to cheer himself up with his other brother's presence. "Hey Vid, what do you think about a guy's night?" Pascal wonders, stepping into the kitchen archway.

Pascal freezes in place, finding Loki and Vidcund making out on the empty computer desk in the TV room. Vidcund is lying down on the surface of it, while Loki is perched on top of him. Pascal rolls his eyes at the pair, "Perfect," he mutters.

Pascal walks over to the couple, feeling more awkward in this situation than the one that occurred a mere twenty minutes ago. He steps forward and stares down at them, "You know, they say the average sim can only hold their breath for two minutes. But I say, you two have clearly broken that record," he quips.

Vidcund taps Loki on the side, signaling his lover to climb off of him. Loki sighs and reluctantly climbs into one of the desk chairs. Vidcund clears his throat, wipes his mouth with his hand, and slips into the one next to him.

"Well, that killed the romance," Loki mutters, rolling his eyes up at the ceiling, "If I ever want to get instantly turned off, all I have do is just look at your brother's face," he tells his partner.

Vidcund sighs and turns to Pascal, readjusting his signature brown jacket on his shoulder, "What are you doing here?" he wonders, "I thought you had a date tonight."

"And I thought you were done making out with the enemy, but it looks like we're both disappointed," Pascal sasses, his hands locked on his hips.

"Speaking of people being disappointed, I told Circe that I was going to be home an hour ago," Loki states, surprisingly casual at sharing this piece of information. He nudges Vidcund in the side, "She thinks I'm at the grocery store."

Vidcund tilts his forehead and swiftly stares up at the TV room clock, clearly puzzled by this news, "Who goes to the store at eleven at night on a Friday?"

"Me," Loki responds, giving his chest a gentle tap, "I've been going the last few weeks with her just to preserve the elaborate lie," he states, standing up triumphantly, "It keeps me from slipping up. Damn it!" Loki snaps, cursing at the floor, racking his brain for Circe's request, "Now what was I supposed to get again?"

"Milk," Vidcund reminds him.

Loki nods, a wave of relief washing over him. "Right. Thanks, Viddy." Loki stands up and walks over to the refrigerator. He opens the door and grabs the Curious brothers' two percent gallon of milk. Loki swerves on his heel and races out the back door.

"Wait!" Vidcund calls out, holding open the back door as he cries out at Loki's departing figure, "I never said you could take that!"

Pascal sighs as he sits down on a kitchen stool, awkwardly tapping the microwave in front of him. He turns to his brother, who is currently locking the back door. "So…I thought you were going out tonight," Pascal states, locking eyes with Vidcund.

Vidcund laughs, turning away from the door and nervously fixing his hair as he blushes, "We, uh, couldn't decide on a movie."

"Uh-huh," Pascal dubiously chimes, crossing his arms over his chest, "That sounds about right," he says, resting his chin tiredly on the microwave as he lays his hands flat on the countertop, "You know, I've beaten Loki in everything – Well, almost everything," he corrects, his mind quickly thinking of Circe, "But dating is the one area where he actually has a leg up on me."

Vidcund walks forward in silence, giving his brother a gentle tap on hand, "Don't worry, Pascal. You'll find someone," Vidcund assures him.

…

The next morning, Pascal is sitting fully dressed on the lid of the toilet, recapping his latest first date to the man in the shower. "You should've been there, Vid. It was the worst date in history!" Pascal shouts, trying to talk over the running water, "And I'm counting the one where Melissa tried to eat my face!" he screams, folding his arms as he stands up and paces the bathroom floor, "This guy was so shady, he actually got arrested by the FBI! I mean, how bad do you have to be for that to happen?" Pascal asks, throwing his arms out as he feels even worse about his life.

Pascal sighs as he stops in the center of the bathroom, the sad, depressing thoughts consuming his core. "I don't get, Vid," he says, "I thought my love life was the epitome of awesome. But now I can't even find someone who can tolerate me for five minutes-" Pascal turns to the side, locking eyes with Loki, who has just stuck his head out from behind the shower curtain.

"Yeah…" Loki mutters, glaring down at him, "you really picked the wrong guy to complain to."

"Sorry," Pascal moans, slumping out of the bathroom. He steps back suddenly, almost knocking into Vidcund in the hallway, who is wearing his classic everyday clothes. Pascal stops in front of him and stares down at the floor, "Do you think I'm a screwup?"

"No, of course not," Vidcund shakes his head, not even having to think twice about the question.

…

One year later, after his world was shattered by his brothers permanently leaving their estate and Strangetown's signature scary red-head accepted his invitation, Pascal finds himself eagerly bouncing up and down as he watches Circe unpack her belongings on Vidcund's bed. "Now remember," Circe firmly tells him, pointing her finger at the physicist, "this is only temporary. I'm free to leave at any moment."

"Right," Pascal nods, the smile not leaving his face.

"And before we go any further, Pascal, let me make one thing perfectly clear: I am not going to be your nanny," Circe states, never appearing more certain about anything in her life.

…

Two days later, Circe pokes her head out of her bedroom, holding onto her book about draining money from one's exes, Tycho's crying echoing throughout the premises. "Pascal!" Circe shouts, stepping into the hallway, "Pascal, the baby is crying!" she yells, putting down her book and scanning the area, the residence surprisingly quiet that morning minus Tycho's cries for attention. Circe sighs as steps into the baby's room, troubled by Pascal's lack of response. She rolls her eyes at the ceiling as Tycho continues screaming his head off, "Fine," she caves, "I guess I'll get it just this once."

Circe walks over to the crib and stares down at Tycho, the baby alien still crying at the top of his lungs. "Okay, kid. What's the deal? Why are you screaming bloody murder?" Circe wonders, examining the child, "Look, I'm not exactly the motherly type, so can you just tell me what you want?"

Circe sighs as she picks Tycho up for the first time. The baby instantly hushes and falls asleep in her arms. Circe leans down and hugs him, her cold heart melting on the spot. Behind her, Pascal runs up from the backyard to answer Tycho's cries. Pascal stops in the middle of the hallway. He freezes, his eyes shining when he witnesses the heartwarming moment between the pair.

…

A year and a few months later, Pascal is sitting at the kitchen island, a toddler-aged Tycho sitting in his alien-patterned booster seat across from him. The father and son are amidst a game of poker. Pascal sighs in satisfaction as he leans back in his seat and spreads out his winning hand. "Bam! Three of kind. What do you got?" Pascal smiles, lifts up Tycho's cards, and takes a look, "A straight? Damn it! You win again," Pascal groans, faceplanting on the counter.

Tycho happily squeals and starts chewing on one of the discarded cards as Circe approaches the island.

"Hey, Pascal, I was thinking," Circe begins, the physicist lifting his head up when she makes her presence known, "You've been so hospitable to me these last few months that I want to help you find a partner."

"Well, okay," Pascal shrugs, knowing firsthand how much of a struggle this task will be, "It's your funeral."

…

One babysitter and one taxi trip later, Circe and Pascal are standing in center of The Hub, Downtown's hottest nightclub, dressed in their best club attire. Circe smiles as she claps her hands in front of her knee-length black dress. "Okay. First, we need to scope out the scene," she tells him before briefly scanning the area around them, "Do you see anyone worth checking out?"

Pascal looks down slightly and gazes at Circe, who is busying scoping out the room for herself. Even though he hasn't thoroughly surveyed the scene yet, he already knows that she is the best-looking sim there. Pascal lightly blushes, cursing at himself for thinking this thought in the first place. He steps back and narrows in on a mirror.

"Yeah," he nods, "I see me. Hi, me!" Pascal waves, eyeing himself in the floor-length mirror a few meters away from where they are standing.

Circe sighs and gently pushes his arm down. "No," she states firmly, "If you spend all night checking yourself out, you'll never be satisfied. Trust me…just look at Loki," she mutters, rolling her eyes at the ceiling, "Now, tell me what you want."

Pascal stumbles backward, his face flushing at her question, "What?" he squeaks.

"You know, tell me what you want in a partner," Circe reiterates.

Pascal leans back and nervously rubs his neck, his mind going a mile a minute as he struggles to come up with something to say to her. His heart races as he feels the chemistry between them, "Oh, um…"

Circe steps forward. As much as she wants to deny it, she can feel it too. "We should, uh, probably go home," Circe suggests, nudging Pascal anxiously in the side.

"Yeah," Pascal nods, following Circe to the front of the building. Pascal sighs as they stop near the bright blue phone booth, the full moon shining above them. "You know, Circe, the truth is…having you here has made me the happiest I've been in a long time," he confesses, taking a small step towards her.

Circe smiles, her eyes shining at him. "Well, I'm glad," she states, "cause you deserve to have everything you want."

Pascal sighs as he leans towards her, trying his best to push all of the negative thoughts about dating out of his mind. Finally, after what seems like hours of melee, Pascal swallows and begrudgingly turns away from Circe as he loses the battle with his head, the pair a mere three inches from touching. Pascal curses under his breath, watching as Circe moves towards the sidewalk, mentally kicking himself for not going for it.

…

Seven months later, the day after Pascal rejected Circe's advances in the hallway and instantly regretted it, Pascal is walking silently through the dimly-lit Curious residence. Even though his son Tycho is blissfully sleeping in his crib a few feet away from him, he has never felt lonelier in his life.

Pascal sighs as he opens the door to Circe's old bedroom and stares down at the emptiness, that is only second to what he is feeling in his heart. "How could I do it? How could I just let her walk away?" Pascal laments, throwing himself onto the bed as he thinks about the mere wave he gave Circe as she disappeared into the night, "Ugh, I am such an idiot! I'm going to be alone forever!"

Pascal moves his body slightly as he feels his cell phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulls it out and unlocks the screen, accidentally opening the text message in the process. Pascal perks up a bit as he stares down at the screen, the three words surprisingly making him feel better. The message reads: "You okay? – Vidcund." Pascal smiles and hugs his phone to his chest.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Pascal whispers, unsure if he really believes this.

…

Three years later, Pascal and Vidcund are sitting next to each other in one of the pews at Circe's third, and severely country-themed, wedding. Pascal sighs as he stares down at the invitation Circe sent him, overanalyzing the heart she signed her name with at the bottom. Pascal turns to the side, noticing the handcrafted hay bracelet Vidcund is sporting on his wrist. "That's a nice bracelet," Pascal compliments, "Did one of the twins make it for you?"

"No, Loki did," Vidcund replies, giving a shrug, "We got bored at the hotel last night. This was before he got food poisoning. He's convinced that Circe filled all the sophisticated foods with laxatives to make him sick."

Pascal laughs, a small smile forming on his face as he nods in agreement, "Yeah, that does sound like her."

…

Thirty minutes later, Pascal watches in silent agony as Circe marries Edmund Fitzgerald, the humble grass farmer from Riverblossom Hills. Even though he hasn't thoroughly surveyed the church yet, he already knows that she is the most beautiful sim he has ever seen and he was stupid for not letting her know. Pascal sighs as he locks eyes with Circe at the front of the church, her pure white wedding dress lavishly draping over the altar staircase.

Little does Pascal know, she feels the same way about him.


	14. Flashbacks: Loki Edition

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! This is the last flashback chapter in the four-chapter mini arc. Unlike the previous three chapters, this chapter centers around Loki and works best when it's paired with the b-storyline in _Twisted,_ but it should still make sense to someone who hasn't read this fanfiction. Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! :D

* * *

 **Snapshots From A New Strangetown**

 _Chapter Fourteen – Flashbacks: Loki Edition_

It's a bright and sunny day at SimSanto Incorporated and the head of the company, Crystal Vu, is sitting at her desk filling out the company payroll with a pen and paper. Crystal groans as sets down the pen, her hand cramping from all the numbers. "God, why couldn't they have made this automated?" she mutters.

All of sudden, Crystal's office door flies open as almost the entirety of SimSanto's physics department swarms into the room and stops in front of her desk. Craig, the leader of the pack, crosses his arms and flashes her a peeved glare, "Crystal, we'd like to file a group complaint against someone."

"Really?" Crystal squeaks, unable to recall the last time she faced a problem with this much strife, "Who?"

Craig steps forward, narrows his eyes at his boss, and hisses, _"Loki."_

…

A few minutes later, Crystal sighs as she rounds the corner of the second-floor hallway, searching every last crevice of the building for the man in question. She stops when she hears Loki's voice blaring from the third-floor workplace. "Yeah, I always knew I was a supergenius, but maybe if you study as hard as I did, you'll have as much greatness as my left toenail," Loki boasts to a group of SimSanto's interns as he sits on Craig's desk, the blueprint's for Craig's newest invention thrown carelessly to the floor.

Crystal takes a few steps towards him and clears her throat, her arms crossed. Loki turns his head, his face lighting up when he sees her. "Oh, hey sweetie. What are you doing here?"

Crystal cocks her forehead, her expression firm and unchanged since she arrived at the scene. "My office. _Now_."

Loki nods, clearly clueless about the severity of the situation, "Okay," he states.

…

Crystal sighs as she plops back down into her desk chair, Loki following her into her office. He shuts the door and smiles, a coy expression spread across his face. "So, what's all this about, Crystal Lynn Vu?" Loki quips, gazing at his girlfriend as he takes a seat in the chair across from her, "You know, if you wanted me, you could've just said so."

"Loki," Crystal states sternly as she clasps her hands and rests them on the desk in front of her, "You have to quit acting up, okay? Your antics are bothering the other scientists."

"Who, Craig?" Loki squeaks, quickly waving away the thought with his hand, "What's the big deal? It's not like he's doing anything revolutionary."

"Maybe so, but I can't have you distracting everyone. Every time you do that, I look like the bad guy for putting you in charge."

"Oh, I see," Loki replies, his response causing Crystal to raise her eyebrow, "You're just trying to save face and make a big show for the cameras." Loki leans back in his seat, quickly catching himself before he tips over and falls to the floor. He smiles and scoots forward, trying his best to remain cool. Crystal rolls her eyes.

"Loki, I can't keep giving you special treatment just because we're dating," she tells him, reaching forward and grabbing his hand, "The other scientists are starting to get jealous."

"Please!" Loki waves it off, staring up at the ceiling, "That's because they're not dating me."

Crystal cocks her forehead, flashing Loki a bizarre, disbelieving stare, "Right…" she claims, "either way, you need to actually do work here."

"Ah…I gotcha," Loki coos, the true meaning behind Crystal's words clicking in his brain, "You want me to do _work_ here," he repeats, sliding his arm across the surface and knocking Crystal's belongings off her desk. Loki climbs onto the desk and lounges seductively on it.

Across from him, Crystal is positively horrified. "What are you doing?!" she squeaks, stunned by Loki's response.

Loki shrugs, "I thought it was an innuendo. Isn't 'work' your codeword for Woohoo?"

"No," Crystal chimes. She lifts her head up, now noticing a bunch of her workers watching the display unfold through her front office windows. Crystal's furiously blushes as she nudges Loki off the surface, "Please get off my desk," she hisses, trying her best to avoid the judgmental glares from her workers.

Loki nods and quickly does what he is told as Crystal walks over to her two office windows.

"Alright, everyone. Get back to work!" Crystal instructs, waving the workers away from her office, "There's nothing to see here!"

Loki walks up next to her as some of the scientists start to disperse. "Yeah, you heard the lady. Get lost losers!" he shouts.

Crystal sighs as she watches the last of the onlookers return to their post. She turns away from Loki and steps towards the back wall, jadedly running her fingers through her hair.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Loki steps forward and speaks up, still lingering towards the doorway. "I'm sorry. I don't why I've been doing such stupid things lately, but…please don't be mad at me. I really like you, Crystal."

At this, Crystal turns towards him, hugging her body. "I like you too, Loki," she states, warmly stepping towards him. She stops a foot away from Loki and grabs his arms, gazing deeply into his eyes, "But I'd be lying if I said that you're not becoming a liability for me."

"Okay," Loki states, not having to give her confession a second thought, "I promise I'll be good," he says, before leaning forward and giving her a hug. Loki shivers as Crystal hugs him back, cringing at what he just promised.

…

Five minutes later, Loki is sitting at his desk in the second-floor science lab, twiddling his thumbs. Loki fidgets in his seat a tad as he anxiously stares up at the hands of the wall clock, which he swears hasn't moved a tick since he sat down. He sighs as he gazes over at Vidcund, who is typing up his latest report on his desktop. Vidcund scrunches his forehead at the screen and taps the enter button at the exact moment his girlfriend, Circe, sashays into the room. Loki rolls his eyes and swivels his chair to the left, turning his back to her.

"Hey, sweetie," Circe coos, strolling over to Vidcund and taking a seat on his desk, "How is my _favorite_ boyfriend doing?" she asks, her tone sickeningly sweet. Across the room, Loki's stomach churns as he turns himself slightly to glare at his ex.

Vidcund gives a small smile, granting Circe his full attention, "Uh, I'm fine," he answers, briefly scanning the room before leaning in closer to her, "You are talking about me, right?" Vidcund whispers.

Circe throws her head back, giving an overly exuberant laugh, "Of course I'm talking about you, Viddy. There's no one I'd rather spend my time with…especially not in this vicinity," she smirks, flashing Loki a smug smile before turning back to Vidcund, "So, where are you going to take me tonight?"

Vidcund leans back in his seat, quite flustered by this question as he nervously rubs the back of his neck, unaware of the fact that Loki is rapidly approaching his desk. "Well, uh-"

"He can't take you anywhere, Circe," Loki states, standing a mere three feet away from the couple, "Vidcund has to work late," he smirks, leaving the premises before a fight breaks out.

…

One month later, Loki is standing in front of Crystal near the back entrance of Strangetown's most popular church, moments away from one of the biggest events of his life. Loki stares down at his watch and rubs his aching forehead with his tuxedo sleeve, praying that his soon-to-be-wife, Circe, doesn't kill him for being fifteen minutes late. Loki steps forward and reaches for the iron door handle.

"Loki, wait!" Crystal cries, sporting her lavender bridesmaid dress as she grabs him by the arm. Loki immediately turns around and gazes down at her. Crystal sighs and places her hand over her queasy stomach. She doesn't know why, but she really doesn't want Loki to go, "Please," she whispers pleadingly, "Please don't do this. This is a big mistake."

"It's not a mistake," Loki states, their breakup still fresh in his mind, " _You_ didn't want me. Why do you even care anyway?"

"Because," Crystal begins, her eyes shining, "I don't want you to marry Circe, okay?" she confesses, "Marry me. I want to marry you," Crystal cries, unable to believe that she is practically begging him to reconsider, the realization of her love for Loki hitting her square in the face, "I love you."

Loki stands in place. Even though he's waited months to hear Crystal say these words, something about this whole situation doesn't feel right. Loki sighs as he stares down at his ex-lover, knowing that for once, he's going to have to take the high road. "Crystal," Loki states, "I can't marry someone who loves me, it'll just hurt them in the long run. They'll just keep thinking that they can change me and they can't. No one can," Loki tells Crystal, gazing into her heartbroken eyes, "I can't be faithful to you, and that was fine, you know, when you didn't love me. But now that you do, if we get together, you'll just have your heart broken time and time again. And I can't bear to put you through that," Loki whispers, leaning towards Crystal as he gently whispers in her ear, "I love you too much to do that," he confesses, the words painfully leaving his body. "I'm sorry," Loki sighs, "but I have to go through with this, no matter how many of us may not want me to," he states, trying his best to not break down in tears. Loki struggles to keep his expression devoid of emotion as he stares deeply into her eyes, "Goodbye, Crystal," Loki squeaks, turning his back to her and exiting into the church before he can change his mind.

The large iron door shuts, the raucous sound of the door locking behind him signaling that there is no turning back. Loki sighs as he takes one step into the dimly-lit hallway, his body drenched in regret.

…

Twenty-five minutes later, Loki is standing with Circe at the front of the church, the couple midway through their vows. Crystal sighs as she stands behind Circe. Circe's puffy, white wedding dress is doing a good job of shielding Crystal's body, but it isn't blocking the pleading gazes that Loki has been shooting in her direction throughout the ceremony.

"Now," the priest continues, turning to the crowd, "if anyone here among us has a reason why these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace."

Loki narrows his eyes at Crystal, urging the young townie to say something. Crystal frantically but subtly shakes her head no, her heart beating rapidly in her chest.

…

That night, Loki is lying down on his side facing the wall on the king-sized bed in the honeymoon suite that he booked for himself and his newest wife. Fortunately for Loki, Circe is exhausted from the wedding and has left him alone for most of the evening, but unfortunately for Loki, Circe is lying down only a few feet away from him.

Loki rubs his forehead, quietly sobbing into free hand over his snap decision to leave the love of his life. After a few moments of audible sobbing, Circe slowly sits up on the bed, flashing her husband a bizarre look. "Loki, are you crying on our wedding night?" she squeaks, crossing her arms at the peculiarity of this situation as she glares over at him.

"No," Loki sniffs, wiping a couple of tears from his eyes before facing his wife. Circe raises an eyebrow.

Loki quickly turns back towards the wall and continues to quietly sob into his palms. Circe lets out a heavy sigh and rolls her eyes.

…

Two weeks later, Loki is sitting at his desk on the second floor of SimSanto Incorporated, thoroughly embracing his secret love. Loki smiles from his desk chair as he gazes up at Vidcund, who is sitting in the center of Loki's desk. "You're really cute," Loki coos, pulling back a bit and holding Vidcund at arm's length, "It's crime to be this cute."

"Is it?" Vidcund grins, cocking his forehead.

Loki nods, having a hard time keeping his hands off him, "Yeah."

"Loki?" Crystal speaks up from her open office, "Circe is here to see you."

Loki's eyes widen like saucers, "Oh God!" he shrieks, quickly shooing Vidcund off his desk. Loki lets out a huge sigh of relief when Vidcund makes it to his seat before Circe blazes into the room. He turns to Crystal and flashes her a gracious smile.

...

One hour later, after Circe awkwardly ate lunch at Loki's desk while her husband covertly stared across the room at Vidcund the whole time, Loki knocks on the door of Crystal's office. The physicist carefully steps into the room once she grants him entrance. Loki smiles as he stares down at Crystal, who just returned to her desk chair and is now delicately arranging the papers on her desk.

"Hey," Loki greets, taking a step towards her, nudging the door closed with his foot, "thanks for that," he states as Crystal looks up at him, "I know you don't support infidelity, but honestly, if you hadn't have said something, my body would probably be in a lake right now."

Crystal nods, setting the stack of papers back down on her desk and giving a shrug, "Yeah, I wanted to help you out, and I kinda figured this would be a one-time thing."

"Oh," Loki squeaks, his heart sinking at this news, "Great."

"Yeah," Crystal agrees, standing up from her desk to grab something from her handbag. She walks past Loki, who is staring longingly at her. Loki briefly glances out the window before walking over to Crystal and affectionately grabbing her by the arm.

At this, Crystal immediately turns towards him, her body filled with shock. Loki steps towards her, but Crystal shoots her hand up, stopping the physicist in his tracks.

"Don't do this. Please don't do this," Crystal pleads, having a hard time meeting his gaze as she struggles to contain her emotions, "I mean it, Loki. We're done."

"Alright, I'll respect that," Loki softly replies, unclasping his hand and taking a step away from her, "But come on, Crystal, we both know that's not true."

Crystal sighs as she watches Loki walk briskly out of her office, never feeling more conflicted in her life. As much as she doesn't want to admit it, she knows Loki is probably right, but she couldn't risk having him stay to find out. Crystal groans as she places her hand over her slight baby bump, wondering how much longer she'd keep this from him.

…

One year later, Loki is sitting at his desk, hard at work changing his desktop. He grins as he finishes placing a large photo of himself front and center on the computer screen. Loki turns the screen in Vidcund's direction and swivels in his seat to present it to him. "So, what do you think?" Loki wonders, shifting his face to mirror the enthusiastic expression that desktop Loki is sporting.

Vidcund smiles, "It's great," he compliments, nodding at his partner before quickly resuming his latest plant report.

"Uh, Loki?" Crystal's voice chimes from her office, the uncertainty in Crystal's voice causing Loki to instantly turn around, "There's some men here to see you."

Loki looks up from his desktop slightly, cautiously putting his pen down and sitting up at his station as a group of formally-dressed men walk into the workplace and swarm his desk. Across the room, Vidcund has moved away from his report and is intently watching the scene unfold in concern.

One of the men steps forward, holding his hand out to shake as he stares down at Loki, "Congratulations, sir. You've been nominated for the Nobel Prize in Physics!"

Loki cocks his head a tad, dubiously aligning the stack of papers on his desk. "Yeah…" Loki says, clearly not buying it. He circles his chair 180 degrees and waves them away, "Pascal works on the third floor," he tells him.

"We know," the guy speaks up once more, "He told us you were down here, Dr. Beaker."

Upon hearing his name, Loki drops the papers and swivels back the men's direction. He brings his hand up to his mouth, hoping to hide his shock from whom he now recognizes as some of the Nobel Prize Council's most prestigious scientists. Loki exhales, quickly regaining his composure. He slowly puts his hand down and faces the men, his confidence returning as his signature Loki smirk makes its first appearance, "Well, then it's about damn time."

…

A few months later, Loki races towards the bathroom at Strangetown's fanciest banquet hall as total pandemonium erupts behind him. The newest Nobel Prize winner halts in the center of the hallway, finding himself face to face with his boss, who traveled a hundred miles for the occasion. Crystal smiles down at Loki, her pale pink dress sparkling courtesy of the twelve-thousand-simoleon glass chandelier above them.

"Congratulations, Loki," Crystal beams, her tone casual but sweet.

Loki cocks his forehead, his signature smirk spreading across his face. "Congratulate yourself, Crystal," he replies, "one of my inventions was your idea."

"True," Crystal nods, tilting her forehead as well, "but you were the one who built it."

Loki steps back and lets out a small nose-laugh, waving her point off, "Either way, it wouldn't feel right if I didn't return the favor."

"You don't need to do anything for me."

"I know," Loki replies, his eyes shining, "but I want to." Loki steps forward, delicately grabs the sides of Crystal's face, and leans towards her. Crystal steps back and restrains Loki's arms, stunned by his blunt advance.

"What are you doing?" Crystal squeaks, her face filled with horror, "You just professed your love for Vidcund!"

Loki sets his arms at his sides and shrugs, "So? He knows we're in an open relationship."

"Okay," Crystal replies curtly, "but I'm still engaged to Lazlo."

Loki rolls his eyes and laughs, "Yeah, like that's going to last," he mutters, causing Crystal to instantly shoot him a glare, "Come on," Loki speaks up, gently grabbing her hands, "you told me that if I ever won the Nobel Prize, we would date again."

"What? No, I didn't!"

"You didn't?" Loki squeaks as Crystal lets go of his hands in a fluster. Loki brings his hand up to his chin ponderously, deeply puzzled by this revelation, "Huh. Maybe that was a dream I had."

Crystal rolls her eyes up at the ceiling before staring down at her ex-boyfriend once more, her head throbbing from this whole situation. "Loki, we've been through this – _twice_ ," she states, rubbing her aching forehead briefly before rigidly staring down at him, hoping to pierce this rejection in his mind, "This is not happening again. You and I are _not_ getting back together."

Loki watches as Crystal storms down the hallway, her demeanor cold and driven. "Crystal," Loki chimes, already appearing lost without her, "Crystal!" he shouts at her retreating figure, completely oblivious to the familiar bystander walking up behind him.

Circe steps forward, stopping a few feet short from the man who just single-handedly ruined her life. She smirks as he turns towards her, the young woman basking in his desperate state. "I have a question for you, Loki," Circe purrs, the physicist not even bothering to meet her eyeline, "What happens when a man who is used to getting everything he wants doesn't get something?"

Loki sighs and turns away from her, clearly already having enough of this conversation, "Circe, I don't have time for this-"

"You know, Loki, it's actually quite simple what the man does," Circe replies, the devious expression still plastered on her face, "He spends the rest of life driving himself crazy over the one thing he can't have," she coos, aggressively tapping Loki twice on the shoulder before sashaying off the premises.

Loki stands in silence, Circe's comment resonating in his core. As much as he wants to dismiss Circe's claim as nonsensical badgering, something about it rings true.

And that's the part that drives him crazy.

…

One week after the most awkward almost-wedding in Strangetown, Crystal saunters into SimSanto Incorporated, whistling a cheerful tune as she walks up the staircase and heads towards her office. She stops in the hallway and peeks into the second-floor workplace, which is surprisingly empty on a Monday morning. "Huh," Crystal chimes, perching her hands on her hips in wonder, "I could've sworn at least one of them would've shown up today."

Crystal shrugs as she opens the door to her office, a bizarre moaning noise chiming from underneath her desk. Crystal quietly closes the door before cautiously approaching the source. She slowly climbs onto her desk and leans forward, only to find Loki moaning under her desk chair, sprawled out on the carpet. He is dirty, smelly, and looks like he hasn't shaved in a week. Crystal sighs, hops off her desk, and kneels next to him, "Okay. What's the problem this time?"

"He dumped me, Crystal," Loki squeaks, covering his face with his hand, "Vidcund dumped me. Left me at the altar when we were two words away from marriage," he moans, flopping over on his side to face her, "This is how villain backstories are made!"

Crystal stares up at the ceiling, releasing a heavy sigh. "You're already a villain…and this is hardly a backstory."

Loki sighs and lies down on his back, "Tell that to Olive Specter."

"Alright, come on, no more wallowing in self-pity," Crystal says, grabbing Loki firmly by the arm and nudging him upright, "Let's at least get you up."

Loki groans as he sits up in place, the light from the ceiling fan causing his head to ache. He moans and blinks a few times, slowly regaining his vision. He perks up slightly once he sees Crystal's classic purple pantsuit. "Hey, you look good. Is that a new outfit?"

Crystal throws her head back at the ceiling, folding her arms over her torso, "You do this every time, you know?"

Loki cocks his forehead, unsure where she is going with this, "Do what?" he asks.

"You try to jump into a relationship to avoid your problems," Crystal vents, narrowing in on him, "Tell me Loki, what's so bad about being vulnerable?" she questions. Loki stares down at the carpet as Crystal drives her point home, "You need to tell people what you want. Otherwise, you're never going to get anything," Crystal says, tapping Loki twice on the hand before standing up from the floor, leaving Loki to puzzle over her words in silence.

…

That night, Loki sighs as he stands at Vidcund's back door at the Curious residence, Crystal's words racing through his mind as he waits for an answer to his knocks. Vidcund swings open the door, stunned when he sees Loki.

"I want you back," Loki states, never looking surer of something in his life.

Vidcund steps backward, stunned by Loki's bold honesty, "What?"

…

Fifteen minutes later, Vidcund and Loki are standing at the very top of the Curious residence's signature three-level lookout tower staring out at the stars. Vidcund sighs as he gazes at the galaxy, his boyfriend lovingly holding him in his arms. "I'm so glad we got back together," Vidcund coos, pressing himself further into Loki's chest.

Loki smiles, "Me too," he beams, leaning back slightly. "Whoa!" Loki cries, waving his arms in circles as he tries to regain his balance before ultimately failing and falling down three flights of stairs.

Vidcund cringes as he holds onto the nearest railing for safety, watching Loki endure the wrath of thirty-six separate steps before flopping down on his back on the linoleum black tile. "Loki, sweetie?" Vidcund cautiously calls down, praying that he's not too hurt and doesn't intend to sue his brothers for all they're worth, "Are you okay?" he asks, cueing an elongated groan in response from Loki as he lays sprawled out on the roof.

…

Three years later, Vidcund is sitting on the living room couch at the Beaker castle deep into a parenting book. Vidcund is holding a two-year-old Ceres at his side while his other adopted child, Atom, plays with a plastic robot on the carpet in front of them.

The basement door flies open as Loki quickly steps out carrying a spray bottle, monstrous cries bellowing from within the basement walls. Loki sprays the creature down, causing it to morph its cries into a slight growl. Loki sighs as he sets the spray bottle down, blocks off the basement door, and dusts his hands off on his lab coat. Loki turns away from the door, whistling nonchalantly as he makes his way to the kitchen.

"Loki?" Vidcund chimes, setting his book down as he soaks in what just occurred, "Do you think maybe it's time to sell the house?"

At this, Loki immediately rushes over to sofa and waves his hands out in an x, "What?! No!" he cries, vetoing the idea as quickly as possible, "The house is fine, Vidcund. Perfect for raising children!"

"Really?" Vidcund sarcastically spews, cocking his forehead at his boyfriend, "Because there's at least twenty safety hazards in the basement alone. Not to mention all the Santas and failed clones you buried in the crater."

"Hey! The crater is public property, Vid," Loki animatedly retorts, "Those could be anyone's failed Loki clones!"

Vidcund shakes his head and rolls his eyes up at the ceiling. "It's not only that," Vidcund begins, grabbing Ceres before she can crawl off the sofa, "but this house doesn't exactly scream 'children'."

"Well, it used to," Loki mutters, folding his arms in a pout, "Besides, what do you know about tasteful, family-friendly architecture? Remember your _first_ house?"

Vidcund sighs, "All I'm saying is…it wouldn't hurt to look at other options."

…

Finally, after three weeks of persistent convincing, Vidcund and Loki find themselves exploring their first family-friendly house with their real estate agent, Meredith Lillard. Meredith smiles as she leads them into the kitchen, which is equipped with state-of-the-art appliances and a lovely breakfast nook. "And this is the kitchen, the heart and soul of this gorgeous colonial estate!" Meredith presents, watching as Vidcund gazes at the bright, sunny room in awe. Next to him, Loki continues to remain unimpressed by everything in sight.

"Wow, Loki! Isn't this place beautiful?" Vidcund beams, clasping his heads in front of his chest as he stares out at the garden.

Loki flatly turns to Meredith, his arms folded over his torso, "So, how much space does the basement have for human prisoners?"

…

"Unbelievable!" Vidcund cries, throwing his hands up as they exit the fifth house Loki rejected that morning, "I can't believe you! What was wrong with that one?"

Loki stops and turns to his boyfriend on the sidewalk, surprisingly calm in his demeanor, "I don't know," Loki states sincerely, "It just seems like something's missing."

"Loki," Vidcund sighs, his voice returning to its original register as he stares into his partner's eyes, "there are hundreds of houses in Strangetown. Do you honestly expect me to believe that we live in the best one?"

"Yes," Loki replies, not having to give the question a second thought, "Why go for better when you already have the best? That's why I'm with you," Loki states, struggling to push these words out of his body.

Vidcund stops in his tracks as he marvels over what is perhaps the nicest thing that Loki has ever said to him. Loki sighs as he treks down the Road to Nowhere, a sick feeling forming in the pit of his stomach as he tries to convince himself of the very words he just muttered.

…

Six years later, Loki is alone at the Beaker residence playing his favorite simulation game on Ceres' tablet when he hears a strange noise coming from the front door. Loki carefully sets the tablet down on the coffee table, grabs his aluminum bat, and heads towards the entrance. "Hey, you stupid kids!" Loki cries, throwing open the front door and taking a step onto the porch, "Quit stealing my inventions!" Loki freezes in place only to find Crystal standing innocently in front of him. She nonthreatening puts her hand up in greeting.

"Uh, hey," she states.

"Hey," Loki replies, loosening his grip on the bat, attempting to break the ice, "Did you steal my inventions?"

Crystal laughs and shakes her head, "No."

"Oh," Loki squeaks, tossing his bat back in the castle, "Good."

Crystal smiles and throws her arms around him, pulling Loki into a friendly embrace. "Oh," Loki says, quickly nuzzling into her, "You know, if you wanted me, you could've just said so."

Crystal gives a tiny nose laugh, immediately pulls away from the hug, and pats him on the shoulder. "I don't want you," she confirms, the physicist puzzled by this news, "Well, I do, but only because I want you to sign this."

Loki's eyes widen as he narrows in on the stack of papers that she is holding out to him. He gently takes them and fans them in his hands, "What's this?" he wonders.

"It's divorce papers...you know, for our secret marriage?" Crystal answers, awkwardly shifting her weight onto her other leg.

Loki slowly nods, of all the things she could've said to him, he hadn't expected this, "I thought you guys already got married."

"We did," Crystal replies, "but…we want to renew our vows in Strangetown for our tenth anniversary."

"Ah," Loki replies, doing his best to keep his emotions at bay. Loki sighs as he steps into the living room, now wishing Vidcund and the twins hadn't left the house to spend the day with Pascal. Crystal cautiously walks over and sits down next to him.

"Hey," she speaks up, placing a comforting hand on Loki's knee, knowing how hard this must be for him, "I know this is tough for the both of us, especially with all the feelings involved…so, if you just sign these, I can go," she states, trying to keep herself from crying. She points down at the pages Loki is death-gripping.

Loki turns to Crystal and stares deeply into her eyes. As much as he doesn't want to set her free, he knows that officially ending their marriage is best for almost everyone. "Okay," Loki sighs, gesturing his fingers towards his palm for the pen, "I'll sign it."

"Great," Crystal whispers, doing her best to force a smile as she hands the pen to him. Crystal watches as Loki quickly scribbles his name on the document and hands it back to her.

Loki turns away from Crystal, his eyes watering as he brings his hand up to cover them. He waves her away with the other, "Uh, you should go."

Crystal nods, her heart breaking as she hugs the document to her chest. "Okay," she promises, sitting up from the sofa.

Crystal heads towards the door, stopping when she hears Loki not-so-subtly sobbing from the sofa. She stares down at the document and sighs, setting it down on the front end table. Crystal carefully approaches the couch, warm but terrified. "Loki?" she squeaks, plopping down next to him.

Loki turns to Crystal, his eyes red and puffy as she brings him into an embrace, neither one of them saying a word.

After all, there was nothing left to say.


	15. Family Feud

**Author's Note:** Without ara-fusilli this chapter wouldn't have been possible. Thanks so much for your inspiration! :D

* * *

 **Snapshots From A New Strangetown**

 _Chapter Fifteen – Family Feud_

The audience erupts into applause as everyone's favorite smartass, the Unsavory Charlatan, clasps his hands together and stands in front of the signature Family Feud podium and display board. "Hello, and welcome back to the Family Feud!" he announces once the cheers die down, "Boy, it's been a good one today, folks. We have the Beaker-Curious family versus the-" the Unsavory Charlatan pauses for a moment and finishes gesturing to the family on the left side of the stage before turning to the right. He takes a deep breath, "-Beaker-Schwartz-Fitzgerald-Thompson-Dookahlukabenzene family!" he chimes, leaning his hands on his knees to catch his breath, "Before the break, we asked Loki to come up with the final answer for what one hundred surveyed people said is the greatest invention of all time," the Unsavory Charlatan states, presenting the display board, which has all but the number one answer filled in. The host paces over to the family on the left side of the stage, "But before we get to that, Loki, why don't you introduce us to the rest of your family?"

"Sure thing, dingus," Loki smirks, standing up straighter, "I'm Loki, the greatest scientist the world has ever known. Next to me is my sexy husband with the killer ass, Vidcund," Loki boosts, wrapping his arm around his partner, "Then there's Atom and Ceres, my genetically-modified super clones and the top students at Strangetown Elementary. And my mother, supergenius and co-inventor of the Resurrect-O-Nomitron, Gundrun Beaker."

"Aww, thank you, sweetheart!" Gundrun smiles from the end of the Beaker-Curious line. She beams and turns to the host, "I gave birth to him!" she brags.

"Ookay," the Unsavory Charlatan replies, flashing the mother a bizarre look as he cautiously takes a step away from her, "Alright Loki, you know how it goes. Right now, your family and your ex wife's family are tied at 250 points apiece. You need 300 to win. We surveyed one hundred sims and asked them to name the greatest invention of all time," he recaps, "You have two strikes. If your answer is there, you win. If not, the Beaker-Schwartz-Fitzgerald-Thompson-Dookahlukabenzene family can steal. Right now, we need you to name the greatest invention of all time."

Loki takes a step back and stares at the board, bringing his hand up to his chin ponderously. He briefly scans his competition, locking eyes with Circe who shoots him a death glare. Loki turns back to his family who is all shouting out suggestions, with Atom, of course, shouting the word 'robots' at the top of his lungs.

"Hmm…you know what, Chet? I'm going to go with the obvious choice here and say something completely different than what my family was saying and go with…the Electric Vomit Recycler!" Loki declares, excitedly turning towards the board.

"Alright. If it's there, you win. If it's not there, I'll still give you the money cause I hate your competitors!" the Unsavory Charlatan proclaims, staring up at the display, "Show me the greatest invention of all time, the Electric Vomit Recycler, for the win!"

The host points up at the board, which lights up and flips over the number one answer choice; the sweet victory noise chiming in the background. The Beaker-Curious family jumps up and cheers in celebration as the classic Family Feud theme plays in the background. Loki turns to Circe upon being swarmed by his overjoyed friends and family, a smug expression on his face.

…

Meanwhile, in the real world, Vidcund sighs as he stares up at the ceiling, bags forming under his eyes as the clock reads four in the morning on the end table next to him. Vidcund groans as he continues to lie down on the master bed, never feeling more sleep deprived in his life as Loki lies asleep on top of him, snoring loudly into his ear. Loki is hugging Vidcund with his left hand and holding his reindeer-patterned blanket, Cuddles, with the right. Loki sighs lovingly, an expression of pure bliss on his face as drool seeps onto his partner. Loki laughs, still deep into dreamland, and lies his head down on Vidcund's shoulder, "Take that, you hateful witch! I bet you want me now, huh?"

Vidcund sighs and rolls his eyes up at the ceiling as Loki does mini cabbage thrusts, now knowing that Loki must be dreaming about Circe. Finally having enough of this uncomfortable situation, Vidcund nudges Loki with his torso. "Loki, Loki!" Vidcund whisper-exclaims in his partner's ear. Vidcund shakes him once more, causing Loki to stir for a moment before quickly falling back into a slumber, the former physicist finding the shaking soothing. "LOKI!" Vidcund screams.

After what seems like hours of rapidly increasing his tactics to get Loki to wake up, his boyfriend finally opens his eyes and lets out a small yawn. "Oh, hey honey," Loki greets, smiling when he sees Vidcund's face unblur, "Feeling frisky?"

"No, I'm not feeling frisky," Vidcund coldly states, insulted that Loki would even ask such a question, "I'm not feeling _anything_ because you've been asleep on top of me for the last five hours!" he cries, "I can't even feel my legs!"

"Alright. Geez! Someone's in a mood," Loki mutters, quickly moving off his partner. Vidcund stretches his legs out and sighs.

"Loki, you know I love sleeping with you, but lately there hasn't been much sleeping going on."

Loki cocks his forehead, puzzled by what he assumes is an assumption. "What are you talking about? I haven't slept this much in years!"

Vidcund narrows his eyes at Loki, "I meant for me."

"Oh yeah, that guy," Loki awkwardly responds, nervously tapping the tips of his fingers together. He turns on his side and smiles at Vidcund, "Well, you know, sleep is overrated anyway. You're already cute, so what's it matter if you're a little sleep deprived?"

"Wow," Vidcund states, crossing his arms, "That's probably the most conceited thing I've ever heard you say."

"Really?" Loki chimes, wrapping his arm around Vidcund and holding him close to his chest, "Huh. I usually aim higher than that." Vidcund sighs, unable to mask the disappointment that he is feeling, "Alright, alright," Loki caves, trying his best to make his partner happy, "We'll come up with a compromise," he promises, tapping his finger against his chin as he mulls this problem over for an easy solution, "Hmm…I know! Just fall asleep before me."

Vidcund sits up on the bed and narrows his eyes at Loki, "It takes you five seconds to fall asleep. How is that a feasible solution?" Vidcund sighs, rubbing his aching temples, "Maybe I should just sleep in the other room-"

"What?! No!" Loki blares, stopping Vidcund before he can give this idea another thought, "That's what happened with me and Circe, and that marked the beginning of the end for our relationship!"

Vidcund tilts his forehead, clearly confused, "I thought that was having an affair with me?"

"Eh, we were over long before that happened," Loki shrugs, immediately shifting back into a panic, "But you can't sleep in a separate room than me! What if we want to do it?"

"We can still do it, Loki. We're just going to have to plan it beforehand."

Loki groans and turns away from Vidcund, crossing his arms in a sulk, "That really takes the fun out of it," he mutters.

"I just don't understand what happened," Vidcund states, racking his brain for an answer, "It never used to be this bad before. Is your terrible snoring and overall clinginess just the result of an experiment gone horribly wrong?" Vidcund asks. He pauses to wait for Loki's response but is met with silence, "Loki?" Vidcund chimes once more.

Vidcund turns to the right only to find Loki fast asleep on top of him. Loki open his mouth, releasing a monstrously obnoxious snore.

"Of course!" Vidcund groans, rolling his eyes as he grabs the nearest pillow. He hugs it to his chest, bracing himself for another three hours of headache.

…

Loki whistles a cheerful tune as he steps into the kitchen the next morning. The sunrise from the kitchen windows is seeping into the residence, lighting up the castle with a soft gold hue. Loki smiles and takes a seat at the table adjacent to Ceres, who is in the middle of solving the maze on the back of the Frooty O's box. "So, what's going on here?" Loki wonders, pouring himself a glass of milk as he stares at the back of the box with his daughter, "Is Colonel Raspberry lost again?"

"Yeah," Ceres replies, giving a small laugh. She sets down the cereal box, her expression shifting to concern, "Hey, Dad?" Ceres squeaks, fidgeting with her hands slightly, "If something strange happened in the house, you'd want me to tell you, right?"

Loki sits back in his seat, his eyes wide as he immediately fears the worst, "Oh God, what happened? You didn't go in the basement, did you?!"

"No," Ceres shakes her head, baffled by her father's questioning, "I just thought you'd like to know that Dad fell asleep in his oatmeal this morning."

"Oh," Loki replies, giving a large sigh of relief as his voice returns to its original register, "That is nice to know. Thank you," he nods, quickly standing up from his seat and exiting the kitchen before Ceres can ask any more questions.

Vidcund beams as he enters through the front door of the castle, carrying a single shopping bag from his small but surprisingly successful shopping trip. Vidcund stops in front of his boyfriend, who is now sprawled out on the sofa, counting the popcorn kernels on the ceiling. Vidcund stares down at Loki, smiling about a mile wide.

"Well, it took me a whopping five hours, but I've finally come up with the perfect solution to our sleeping problem," Vidcund announces, singing a small tune as he reaches into the shopping bag and pulls out what appears to be some kind of apocalyptic sleep mask, "Ta-dah!" Vidcund chimes holding the mask in front of Loki.

Loki jumps back from the sofa, his face shifting to pure horror, "What the hell is that?!" he cries.

"It's a portable respirator!" Vidcund announces, extending the mask to his boyfriend, "I found it at the store. I thought it would be the perfect compromise to our little sleep problem."

Loki stands up from the couch, still staring bizarrely at the object, worried it may growl at him at any moment, "Yeah…no," Loki replies, "I am _not_ wearing that thing on my face."

Vidcund slumps his shoulders as Loki walks into the foyer, "Loki, come on. It's scientifically proven to be effective, and this will really cut down the noise you make!"

Loki stops by the stairs and turns around, his arms crossed, "Excuse me, are you saying I'm not perfect?"

"Yes," Vidcund answers as clear as day, "I thought that was obvious." Loki rolls his eyes and turns away from Vidcund in a pout, "Look, this isn't just about me, okay? None of us can get a full night's sleep with you snoring your head off."

"So, your solution is for me to dress like a fool?" Loki huffs.

Vidcund stares up at the ceiling, desperately holding the respirator in his hand, "No one's going to see you wearing this but me, Loki," he claims, "It's not a big deal."

"It is to me!" Loki retorts, his face growing red with anger, "Looks are everything, Vidcund. You know how shallow I am! That mask will make me look like a freak!"

"It will also keep you from choking on your own saliva and dying in your sleep!"

"Really?" Loki chimes, his face contorting at the absurdness of Vidcund's argument, "You'd rather me be ugly than deceased?" Loki cries, turning his back to him, "God, Vidcund! I've never heard anyone say something so selfish!"

Vidcund stops and takes a deep breath, hoping to contain what's left of his sanity before approaching his partner. "Come on, Loki," Vidcund says, circling the foyer to face him, "I'm just trying to help you here. I want you to live a long and healthy life. After all, I can't raise the kids on my own- " Vidcund pauses and thinks this over for a moment, "Actually, I probably could…but I really don't want it to come to that," he tells him.

"No," Loki states firmly, staring up at Vidcund, "I'm not wearing that, and that's final," Loki declares. He storms across the first floor and sulks in front of the fireplace.

Vidcund stares down at the respirator, gripping it firmly in his hands before tearing after his boyfriend, a fire burning in his core. "You know what, Loki? I gave up a lot for you," Vidcund argues, the fury in his eyes showing that for once he means business, "The least you could do is wear this mask for me!"

"No," Loki states piercingly, "the least I can do is nothing. And don't come crying to me about having to make sacrifices!" Loki yells, quickly glancing into the kitchen to make sure Ceres has taken off. Finding it empty, Loki gestures around him and continues with his rant, "Everything we have is stuff that _you_ wanted: the doors, the kids, the kitchen table, the hazard-free basement, the stupid social events," Loki lists, getting more enraged by the second, "The only thing I didn't budge on was the house, and that's only because I practically _begged_ you to let me keep it!" he hisses.

Vidcund moves back slightly, clearly hurt by his comment, "You didn't have to keep or do any of those things for me, Loki, if you didn't want them-"

"Yes, I did!" Loki cries, throwing his arms out in emphasis, "Because if I wouldn't have, then you would've been miserable. And I'm telling you that I will be miserable if you make me wear that," Loki squeaks, lazily gesturing to the respirator in Vidcund's hand.

Vidcund stands speechless, now realizing that this problem runs deeper than he originally thought. "But – but don't you care about my well-being?" Vidcund whimpers, his voice at a whisper, "Don't you want me to be comfortable?"

"Sure!" Loki chimes, over-exaggeratedly throwing his hands up, "as long as it doesn't negatively affect me." Vidcund huffs, shakes his head, and takes off down the hallway. "Vidcund!" Loki shouts, quickly chasing after him, "Hey! Don't you walk away from me!"

Vidcund stops in the center of the first-floor hallway, his face fuming as he turns back to him. "You are unbelievable, you know that?" Vidcund yells, "Why is it so hard for you to show any sort of compassion towards me?"

"It's not difficult," Loki corrects him with a shrug, "I just choose not to." Vidcund rolls his eyes and heads towards the back door. "Oh, come on!" Loki sighs, following close behind him, trying his best to deescalate the situation, "You know I'm just joking."

Vidcund stops directly in the front of the back door, his arms folded across his chest as he glares at his partner, "Good to know this is all just a joke to you. Good to know you don't love me!" Vidcund cries, tearing up as he hugs his body.

Loki stares up at the ceiling, releasing an elongated groan. "Yes, you got me! I've been faking it for twenty years," he sarcastically spews, "The kids, the house, and the sex were all an elaborate sham! I hate you so much that I want to live with you and lay next to you every single night!" he reiterates, hoping to show the absurdity of Vidcund's thought process.

"Well, I'm sorry that I don't want to be smothered by you every day!" Vidcund quips, his voice cracking in distress, "God forbid I want to breathe for two seconds!" he cries, "You know, you can love me and still respect my space!"

"Okay, fine. I won't go near you!" Loki agrees, caving so the argument can stop, "And I'll wear this stupid mask, so you can be happy with me for five seconds before you find something else about me to complain about and fix, since I'm such a broken individual!" Loki snatches the mask from Vidcund and roughly places it on his head. Loki mockingly throws his arms out. "There, are you happy? I look like a freaking dumbass!" he screams, "Everything is exactly like _you_ wanted!"

At this, Vidcund bursts into tears and takes off crying. Loki rips the mask off and watches as Vidcund exits out the back door. Loki sighs, wanting to console him, but struggling to keep what's left of his pride.

…

Three hours later, Vidcund is sitting in the front seat of Pascal's navy-blue minivan as Pascal drives down the Road to Nowhere with none other than their good friend, Circe Beaker, in the backseat. Vidcund's eyes are now dry after spending the last three hours with his older brother, and his fight with Loki is only partially on his mind. "Hey, thanks for letting me go with you guys to the oral surgeon's office," Vidcund says, flashing both Pascal and Circe a smile, "I really needed to get out of the house. Loki was being kind of a-" Vidcund stops himself short as he locks eyes with Circe in the backseat, "Well, I'm sure you know how Loki can be." Circe nods.

"Well, I'm glad you could come with us," Pascal responds, "Circe is getting her wisdom teeth out today, and she needs all the non-Loki support she can get."

"Wisdom teeth, huh? That's not too bad of procedure," Vidcund says, turning to his ex-girlfriend, "The two weeks after are a boomer, but the surgery itself is only an hour and you don't feel anything because you're knocked out the entire time."

"You're kidding me, right?" Circe replies from the backseat, her arms crossed, "That's the worst part! I don't want that gas messing with my consciousness!"

…

Twenty-five minutes later, Pascal and Vidcund are sitting in the waiting room at the oral surgeon's office, waiting patiently for Circe to be finished with her procedure. Pascal is reading the March 2015 issue of Science Magazine while Vidcund is rambling on about Loki next to him, his arms crossed. "I just can't believe how ridiculous Loki can be sometimes," Vidcund says, doing his best to keep his voice down so the receptionist doesn't yell at him for the third time, "Did you know he put a photo of himself above our bed? Of just him, I'm not even in it!"

"Yes," Pascal sighs, setting down his magazine, "You told me that twice already."

"Sorry," Vidcund squeaks, anxiously rubbing the back of his neck, "He just drives me crazy."

"Yeah…he does that to a lot of people," Pascal adds, flipping to the next page of his magazine. Pascal stops and scans the room, closing his magazine slightly. He turns to Vidcund, lowering his voice to a whisper, "By the way, I'm glad you're here. You're making this trip about fifty-percent less awkward."

Vidcund nods, a smug smile spreading across his face. He cocks his forehead, "You still like her, huh?"

"-And it's time for you to shut-up."

"Well, it was fun while it lasted," Vidcund quips, leaning back in his seat, the sly smile still on his face.

Pascal sighs and closes the science magazine. He sets it gently on the wooden end table, "Hey, I know this may be kind of a weird question, but how did you get her to like you?"

"Believe me, I'm still trying to figure that one out," Vidcund sighs as the pair mull over what is perhaps one of the greatest mysteries in the Simverse.

Twenty minutes later, Vidcund and Pascal are fast asleep lounging in the waiting room chairs, the science magazine perched over Pascal's face.

"Mr. Curious?" the receptionist chimes from her place behind the desk. The two Curious brothers don't budge, "Mr. Curious?" the receptionist calls louder, causing both Pascal and Vidcund to jump in their seats; the magazine falls off Pascal's face, "Ms. Beaker-Schwartz-Fitzgerald-Thompson-Dookahlukabenzene is done with her procedure. You can go see her now."

"Great. Thanks," Pascal replies as Vidcund gives a small yawn nearby. Pascal gets up and stares down at his brother, nervously playing with his hands, "Can you go with me? I have no idea what it's going to be like."

"Yeah, okay," Vidcund agrees, slowly getting out of his seat. The pair walk through the double doors and into the hallway, which is filled with photos of sims with flawless, shiny white teeth. They stop in the doorway of Exam Room #1 and peek inside, catching the eye of the oral surgeon, who is sitting on a stool next to Circe.

The oral surgeon smiles and waves them into the room while Circe lounges on the exam chair, her eyes barely open. "Come in, come in!" the oral surgeon instructs. The Curious brothers nod and walk into the room, stopping in front of the pair, "Ah, you must be Ms. Beaker-Schwartz-Fitzgerald-Thompson-Dookahlukabenzene's husbands," he says, greeting them with a smile. He narrows in on Vidcund while Pascal gazes at Circe in concern, "Which one are you?" he wonders.

"Oh, no. We're not her husbands," Vidcund replies, quickly waving away the thought, "Her husbands are dead. She and I dated twice a while back but it didn't work out," he claims, casually glossing over the potential murders.

"Uh-huh," the oral surgeon responds, moving his chair a foot away from them, "Well, either way she's good to go. The surgery went great. We got them all out," he assures them, "She's still loopy because of the gas, though, so you'll obviously have to drive her home, but it should wear off in a few hours."

"Perfect," Vidcund says, turning to Pascal with a nod. He leans forward and taps Circe on the shoulder, who is busy fiddling with the zipper on her pants pocket. "Come on Circe, let's get you home."

Circe locks eyes with Vidcund and giggles, "Whatever you say, talking sunflower!"

…

Fifteen minutes later, after finally escaping the oral surgeon's office and spending five minutes chasing Circe around the car, the trio is back in their original seats and driving down the Road to Nowhere. "You know, I hate to say it, but Circe is five times more fun on drugs," Vidcund observes, watching as Circe moves her head in circles through the front view mirror.

Pascal shakes his head disbelievingly, "You don't hate to say it."

"Yeah, I know," Vidcund smirks, turning towards the window and watching a few hills of sand go by, "You know, I bet you can ask her anything you want right now, and she won't remember," Vidcund speaks into the silence.

"Come on, you know I can't do that," Pascal replies, still staring out at the road.

Vidcund nods, "I know you can't, but I know you really want to. Here, let me try first."

"Vidcund, no!" Pascal shouts, his eyes wide as he grips the steering wheel harder, "If she finds out, she'll kill us."

Vidcund raises his eyebrow at his brother, "Don't you think if she wanted to kill us, she would've done it by now?"

"Good point," Pascal nods, "But I still don't think this is a good idea."

"Well, I'm feeling bored and daring today, so let's try it," Vidcund says, loosening his seat belt and turning to Circe, "Hey Circe! What do you think about me, Vidcund Curious?" Vidcund asks, raising his voice loud enough to catch Circe's attention.

"Oh, I've always been curious about you, Vidcourt," Circe spews, staring up at the car ceiling, "But I could never get past the white pants and the melon underwear. I mean God, Windows! Why don't you dress like a normal person?"

Vidcund turns back in his seat and nods, "Huh. Well, she's already said some variation of that to me before."

All of a sudden, Circe abruptly moves forward and clings to the back of Vidcund's chair, "I miss her," Circe cries, the action catching Vidcund totally off-guard.

Vidcund tilts his forehead as Pascal listens intently to every word, "Miss who?"

"Charlene," Circe confesses, "Why did you have to set me up with her, Whipped, if you knew she was going to die? Erin's not the same!"

"Now, hang on a minute here, Circe," Vidcund soothingly states, doing his best to calm her down, "I didn't know Charlene was going to die. I had no idea that she was going to get crushed by that Murphy bed."

Circe leans back in her seat and releases a gentle sob, "I just wish I hadn't have said that stuff to her, you know?" she reveals, tears streaming down her face, "I mean, why did she have to die right after I yelled at her? She probably thought I didn't care about her at all!"

Vidcund turns to Pascal, the brothers now knowing that they are in way over their heads, "I'm sure Charlene didn't think that," Vidcund reassures his grieving ex, "Knowing Charlene, I'm sure she was thinking about how much she adored you."

Circe sniffs, wiping her nose with her hands, "I just-I'm just worried that I'm never going to find anyone I actually like again!" Circe cries, staring up at the car ceiling in distress, "Loki was a stink wad who didn't love me, Jeb was the worst human being ever, Edmund just had some weird fetishes-"

"Really?" Vidcund interrupts, "What kind?" Pascal glares and nudges Vidcund in the side. Vidcund shrugs, "What? I'm just curious."

"Brian wasn't evil enough for my taste and Erin-" Circe stops herself and sighs as Pascal stops the car in front of Circe's driveway. Pascal parks it and turns to her, "-I don't know," Circe completes, crossing her arms and staring out the window, "Is this Disneyland?" she wonders.

Vidcund shakes his head, giving a small nose laugh, "No, it's your house. Let's uh, get you inside," he suggests, turning to Pascal, who gives Vidcund a nod.

Five minutes later, Vidcund and Pascal are standing at Circe's doorway after Circe surprisingly successfully let herself into the house. "Okay," Circe smiles, standing in the front door way as she stares down at her personal helpers, "Thanks for the drop off, Wonderful brothers."

Vidcund nods and takes a step back on the front porch, "No problem," he states, giving a wave.

Pascal awkwardly maneuvers himself around Circe and out of her two-bedroom house. He stops in front of the doorway and smiles, "Bye, Circe."

"Bye, Passeilles!" Circe waves. She steps forward, grabs Pascal by the sides of his face, and passionately kisses him. Circe nonchalantly pulls away, giving him a friendly wave before slamming the door in Pascal's face, both of the Curious brothers frozen in shock.

"What the hell was that?!" Vidcund chimes, after what felt like an eternity of being stunned.

"I don't know," Pascal awes as the pair slowly walk down the pathway and head back to the car, Pascal unable to keep a smile from forming on his face.

…

Five minutes later, Pascal arrives at the Beaker castle. He parks the car at the end of Tesla Court and turns to Vidcund, who looks as though his mind is going a mile a minute.

"You know, Vidcund," Pascal begins, staring across the center armrest at his middle brother, "Despite all the craziness that happened today, I keep thinking about what Circe said about Charlene and how she worries that Charlene died thinking that she didn't care about her."

"Yeah," Vidcund nods, the moment racing through his mind as well, "I was thinking about that too."

"I think that as infuriating as some people are in our lives, it's important for us to love them for who they are and not necessarily what we think they should be," Pascal says, doing his best to articulate his words.

"You mean, like with Loki?" Vidcund wonders.

Pascal smiles, staring sheepishly down at his periodic table car mat, "Actually, I was talking about Lazlo," he confesses, unable to meet his brother's gaze.

"Oh," Vidcund squeaks, the thought not even crossing his mind, "You know I called him, right?"

"I know," Pascal replies, looking up and giving a small nod, the desert silent around them. He smiles at Vidcund, "I'm really proud of you."

…

Vidcund sighs as he quietly enters the Beaker estate a few minutes later, surprisingly glad to be home. Vidcund carefully shuts the door behind him, the house shockingly peaceful, without a disaster in sight.

"Hey," a familiar voice greets behind him. Vidcund turns around, wondering how Loki managed to reach him without making a sound. Vidcund steps back, stunned when he notices Loki is holding the portable respirator in his hands, "I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have said that stuff. I love you so much!" Loki cries, throwing his arms around him.

Vidcund smiles, pulling Loki further into the hug, "I love you too. And I promise I'll stop nitpicking you for every little thing. Just please…let me get some sleep tonight. I had to chase Circe around the car," Vidcund quips, causing Loki to pull back from the embrace and stare at him strangely.

"Oh no. Don't tell me she got into the laughing gas again."

"She did, and it was absolutely hilarious," Vidcund confirms, taking his shoes off at the door and gesturing Loki up the staircase, "Come on, I'll tell you all about it."


	16. Loki's Birthday

**Snapshots From A New Strangetown**

 _Chapter Sixteen – Loki's Birthday_

It's a dark and humid summer night in Strangetown as a storm to end all storms is in full swing in the heart of the city. The desert sky is filled with eerie storm clouds as lightning strikes the crater, just barely missing the remnants of Pollination Technician's spaceship. Thunder rumbles outside the windows of the Beaker castle and rattles the loose floorboard on the outdoor second-floor landing, waking young Ceres in the process.

Ceres sits up against her bed frame and grabs onto her teddy bear, cowering at the frightening noises outdoors. All of sudden, Ceres perks up slightly as the rain starts to die down a bit, a small squeaky meow sparking her curiosity. She cautiously looks around the room before tiptoeing into the hallway. Ceres stops in place and peeks out the door of the second-floor balcony, only to find a tan, fluffy cat with brown-pointed ears, tail, and muzzle cleaning its face in the rain a few feet away from her.

"Kitty!" Ceres whisper-exclaims, her eyes lighting up in awe when she sees the feline.

Ceres looks both ways before crouching in the doorway. She slowly and carefully inches towards the kitty. Ceres stops a couple of feet away from the cat and sticks her hand out to it, inviting the kitty to sniff her hand.

The cat puts its paw down and looks at Ceres with its bright blue eyes. Ceres smiles as the kitty leans forward and amiably sniffs her finger.

"Come here, kitty. I won't hurt you," Ceres assures the animal, bending over to pick him up. Surprisingly, the cat lets Ceres hold him without a fuss. Ceres carries the kitty into the house, doing her best to keep quiet as she tiptoes past her parents' bedroom.

Ceres gives a sigh of relief as they successfully make it back to her room. She smiles as she sets the damp kitty on her purple-braided rug. "Now remember, we can't let anyone know that you're here, so don't make a sound," Ceres whispers to the cat, giving him a few head scratches, "If you do, Dad might make me get rid of you," Ceres says.

She walks over to her bed and pulls the teal checker-patterned blanket off it. Ceres kneels in front of the kitty and gently wraps the blanket around him. Ceres cocks her forehead, glancing down at the cat's neck, "Hmm…you don't have a collar, so I guess you don't have a name yet," she notes, staring up at her constellation-covered ceiling for inspiration, "I know! I'm going to call you Peanut."

Peanut meows and flops down on the carpet. He rubs his body on it. "Aww, Peanut!" Ceres coos, giving Peanut an affectionate pet, "I think you and I are going to be best friends."

…

Five hours later, Loki is half-asleep in his bedroom, the sound of the downpour clanking up against the gutters causing him to stir every few minutes. Loki groans as he sits up in bed and peels the portable respirator off his head. Loki cringes as he sets the device on a nearby end table with one hand and rubs the dried drool off his cheek with the other. He sighs and puts his hand down, finding Vidcund fast asleep at his side. Vidcund is holding Loki in a loving embrace as he rests his head on Loki's stomach.

Loki gives a small smile and pats Vidcund gently on the back twice before slowly maneuvering himself out of bed. Loki grunts as he pulls his leg out from under his partner, the action causing Vidcund's face to abruptly hit the mattress. Vidcund moans and opens his eyes slightly.

"Sorry, cutie. I gotta go," Loki replies, stepping out the bedroom doorway before Vidcund can say another word. Loki walks into the hallway, slowing his pace significantly when his nostrils are greeted by a rather pungent odor. Loki stops in place and cocks his forehead, "Why does it smell like cat urine?"

"You smell like cat urine!" Ceres snaps, standing defensively in front of her bedroom. Even though Ceres is trying her best to look confident, deep down she is on edge about the whole situation. She glances up at her father, who is positively aghast by her outburst. Ceres' face falls, "Sorry, Dad," she squeaks, quickly scurrying off to her room and slamming the door.

Loki leans down and sniffs his shirt sleeve. He sets it down and shrugs, "Eh. I can see it," he admits as his other child steps into the hallway, still dressed in his robot pajamas.

"Hey, Dad! Happy birthday-" Atom greets, immediately covering his mouth with his hands at his slip-up.

Loki cringes, looks up at the ceiling, and sobs. He leans his back up against the wall and slides despairingly to the floor.

…

A few minutes later, Vidcund is in the kitchen cleaning up Loki's latest experimental catastrophe. "God, why did he put mayonnaise in the toaster?" Vidcund mumbles, shoving a dirty dishrag into one of the holes.

The doorbell rings causing Vidcund to instantly set the device down. He smiles, silently thanking the person as he heads towards the door. Vidcund swings the door open, only to find himself face to face with an overly-distressed Pascal. "Whoa. What is up with you? You look like you've just seen a ghost," Vidcund replies, stepping back from the doorway to allow his brother entrance into the house.

"Hello, Vidcund. I'm great!" Pascal enthusiastically replies, looking like he is going to lose it at any moment. He walks into the foyer, his hair and clothes askew, "There is nothing to worry about. Absolutely nothing happened."

Vidcund raises his eyebrow, clearly not buying what his brother is trying to sell, "Except…?" he states, his arms crossed.

"Except I saw Circe naked!" Pascal cries, his voice cracking uncontrollably.

" _What_?!"

"You heard me," Pascal replies, anxiously pacing over to the fireplace, "I saw Circe naked. This is terrible, Vid! First the kiss and now _this_?" Pascal squeaks, doing his best to keep his breakfast down, "How am I ever going to face her again?"

Vidcund stands in place, still trying to process this new piece of information, a puzzled expression gracing his face. "Wait, wait, hold up," Vidcund says, waving his hands in front of his chest, "How exactly did this happen?"

"Well," Pascal states, giving a small sigh before he begins, "Circe called me this morning and asked me to bring by this book that she left at the house. You know, the one about draining money from your ex?" Vidcund nods, "So, I get there, and apparently the neighbors had messed with her water line while she was still in the shower, so Circe stormed across the street in a towel to tell them off," Pascal continues, his face growing redder by the moment, "The neighbors ended up slamming the corner of her towel in the door of their corvette and they took off down the street in the middle of Circe's string of swears…her towel going with them," Pascal adds, staring down at the floor, "I looked up and…there she was," Pascal completes, dully throwing his hands up.

"Was she embarrassed?"

"Surprisingly not, but I don't think I've ever turned that many shades of red before," Pascal adds, nervously rubbing the back of his neck, "But that's not even the worst part."

"What's that?" Vidcund wonders.

"She's hot!" Pascal cries, flopping down on the sofa. He hides his face in his hands and groans.

Vidcund sighs and takes a seat next to him, "Well, I could've told you that. Why did you think I kept going back to her?"

"Cause you thought no one else would ever love you?" Pascal quips.

Vidcund narrows his eyes at him, "Thanks, Pascal."

All of a sudden, Atom and Ceres race down the staircase and crowd in front of their father. "Dad, you gotta come quick! Something's wrong with other dad!" Ceres cries, the twins clearly troubled.

"Yeah. And I may have…sort of…accidentally mentioned his birthday," Atom mutters under his breath, fidgeting with his hands.

Vidcund moves his hands up to his knees and heavily exhales. "Oh no."

…

"Loki? Loki!" Vidcund calls out as he climbs up the grand staircase a few minutes later. Vidcund reaches the top of the staircase and steps around the banister. He stops at the edge of the hallway, only to find Loki camped out in front of the bathroom door in his underwear with a plain white cake sitting on his lap. Loki sobs as he grabs a fistful of the sheet cake and shovels it into his mouth, "Oh good God," Vidcund groans, rolling his eyes up at the ceiling before carefully approaching him.

"Loki, you can't keep doing this," Vidcund tells his partner, using his best parental tone as he gazes down at him, "You can't keep having a mental breakdown every time it's your birthday."

"Psh! That's easy for you to say," Loki huffs, not bothering to wipe the vanilla frosting off his face before staring up at Vidcund, "You get hotter as you get older. But my looks plateaued a long time ago."

Vidcund crosses his arms, "What does this have to do with anything?"

"I don't know!" Loki cries, throwing his head down in a sob.

Vidcund sighs and sits down next to him. He sighs once more as he stares down at the half-dismantled cake on Loki's lap, "Will you at least let me decorate that for you? Or could you, you know, maybe put some pants on?" Vidcund suggests, glancing briefly at Loki's blue-striped boxer shorts.

"See Vidcund, you're lucky," Loki says, staring up at the wall with a sniff, "You'll always be younger than me. But me? I'll never be younger than myself. I'm just so old! How could anyone love me?"

"Loki, calm down. You're just all over the place," Vidcund says, grabbing his boyfriend's arm, hoping to comfort him, "What is it about your birthday that makes you act this way?"

Loki sighs as he stares down at the floorboard, "I don't know. I guess my birthdays have always been terrible," he states, "My mother used to throw me the worst birthday parties. She never invited any of my friends and would conveniently 'lose' Circe's invitation every year, so I'd have to track Circe down and beg her to come," Loki recalls, getting stressed out just thinking about it. "Looking back, maybe Mom was just trying to look out for me," Loki quips, flashing a small smile. It quickly disappears as he thinks of his mother, "You know, sometimes I miss her…"

"Wait. You had friends?" Vidcund smirks.

Loki nudges him playfully in the side, "No, worse. I was forced to hang out with you."

"Well," Vidcund begins, sitting up slightly, "I guess we just have to decide what you want to do for your forty-fifth."

"Oh no. You are _not_ throwing me another party!" Loki declares, horrified that Vidcund would even give this a thought, "The last time you did that, I ended up in the hospital."

"That's because you ate the cake topper!"

Loki huffs and rolls his eyes, "And how was I supposed to know it wasn't edible?"

"It said that on the box!" Vidcund cries. He runs his fingers through his hair and lets out a heavy sigh.

"Look, Vidcund, what do _you_ want to do for me, huh?" Loki wonders, clearly frustrated by this discussion, "Do you want to throw me a surprise party with all my exes?" Loki jokes, perking up slightly at this suggestion. He clasps his hands together and leans towards Vidcund, "Please throw me a surprise party with all my exes!"

"No, no surprise parties," Vidcund tells him, shutting this idea down before it gets way out of hand, "I learned that lesson ten years ago."

Ten years prior, Loki bursts through the front doorway of the Beaker castle, hanging onto his cell phone. "Viddy sweetheart, I got your text message!" Loki announces, swinging the door shut with his leg and chucking his cell phone onto the sofa. He takes two steps into the empty residence and starts taking off his clothes, "Now get your sexy ass over here because I am horn-y!"

Vidcund dashes over to Loki, looking positively panicked. "No, no! Put your clothes back on!" Vidcund pleads, grabbing his sweater before it can hit the floor.

Loki cocks his forehead, deeply puzzled by his partner's request, "Why?"

"SURPRISE!" a crowd of people shouts. Loki watches in horror as dozens of his friends and relatives flood into the room. Loki narrows his eyes at Vidcund, who mouths a quick 'sorry' in his direction, the plant biologist turning red in embarrassment.

Back in the present day, Loki shakes his head at this memory. "Yeah, I'm never going to live that down."

"Well, at least it was better than your birthday party at Disney World," Vidcund mutters, turning back towards the wall.

Loki turns to Vidcund, flabbergasted by this declaration, "What are you talking about? That was a great birthday!"

Vidcund raises his eyebrow, his mouth in a line, "You punched Mickey Mouse in the face."

"He was being too clingy," Loki whines before sprouting a smug smile, "but I put him in his place."

Vidcund takes a deep breath and grabs Loki's hand. "Look Loki, I just think we should do something as a family for your birthday this year," Vidcund says, giving his partner's hand a squeeze, "It'll be way better than what you usually do on your birthday: sit here eating cake while crying about your impending doom."

Loki snatches his hand away and folds his arms over his torso, "What I choose to do on the day of my birth is none of your business!" he huffs, turning away from him.

Vidcund sighs, "I just think it's upsetting for the children to see you crying every time you have a birthday."

Loki stares up at the ceiling. "Believe me, if they were my age, they would be crying too," he states, locking eyes with his boyfriend, "There's nothing to celebrate, Vidcund. Every year, I lose more and more of my looks. And what'll I have left after my looks fade, my personality?" Loki squeaks, his stomach twisting into a knot at this news, "Oh God, this day just gets worse and worse!" he moans.

Vidcund smiles and cups his hand over Loki's knee. He stares tenderly at his partner. "Loki, I still find you just as attractive now as I did when we first started dating," he confesses.

"What are you, nuts?!" Loki cries, his voice changing registers, "I was _way_ hotter in my late twenties! No wrinkles, a killer jawline, no stress from having children – I was a Norwegian God!"

"You also weren't taking care of yourself then," Vidcund knowingly adds, "You were barely eating. And Circe was causing you way more stress than the kids ever have. You're so much happier now."

The pair sits in silence as Loki takes the time to really think this over. "Yeah, I guess you're right," Loki responds, struggling to put on a smile as he looks up at Vidcund, "You can tell cause I complain a lot more now," Loki clarifies, pushing the dismantled sheet cake off his lap and standing up from the wooden floor. He stares down at his partner, "Alright. We can have a party. Just don't make me wear a stupid party hat."

"Okay," Vidcund nods, seemingly satisfied by this arrangement. He watches as Loki slumps into the bedroom, "Um…is there anything else you wanted to talk about?"

"What?" Loki replies, barely making eye contact with Vidcund as his eyes trail to the dirty clothes on their bedroom floor. "No, I'm good, thanks. I don't want to open a can of worms on my birthday."

Vidcund takes a step forward, his heart sinking in his chest, "What do you mean by that?" he wonders.

"Vidcund, don't do this. You know you really don't want to hear what I have to say," Loki somberly tells him, picking up a few of the shirts from the floor.

"Yes, I do," Vidcund replies, feeling more scared by the moment as he tries to meet his partner's eye line, "I wouldn't have asked you if I didn't."

"Fine," Loki caves, giving a reluctant sigh, "It's just-I think we're in a slump," Loki confesses, still turned away from Vidcund at the door.

"What?" Vidcund squeaks, stopping in front of his boyfriend, "What are you talking about?"

"You just…don't have time for me anymore, and when you make time, all you do is complain about me and everything that I do. I don't know Vidcund, I guess I'm just finding myself not as attracted to you as I used to be."

"Oh my God!" Vidcund squeaks, near tears as he holds his hand over his mouth in shock.

"I'm sorry," Loki apologizes, his heart crumbling at the sight of him, "but it's the truth. I don't want to feel this way; I want to be crazy about you, but…I don't know, I guess something's just holding me back," Loki confesses, these words taking a lot out of him.

Vidcund steps into the bedroom and pushes the door shut behind him. "I don't understand," he speaks, still choking back a sob, "Are you dumping me?"

"No," Loki answers honestly, sighing as he plops himself on the edge of their bed. He lifts his head up and stares at the empty wall, "At least, I don't think so."

"You don't love me anymore, do you?" Vidcund whispers, hugging himself as he says these words, "I can feel it."

Loki shakes his head slightly, "Come on, now you're just being ridiculous," he claims, reaching forward and delicately grabbing his hand, "I'm sorry, Vidcund. I shouldn't have dumped this all on you, but I didn't know what else to do," Loki confesses, his tone laced in sincerity, "I guess it just seems like every time I have a birthday, I'm reminded that my life is absolutely nothing like I wanted it to be. I used to think that was a good thing, but now…I'm not so sure anymore."

"Well," Vidcund huffs, firmly pulling his hand away from Loki as he backs up towards the door, "I hope you figure it out soon," he states rigidly, exiting the room before Loki can see him shed another tear.

Loki sighs as he watches Vidcund close the door, "Yeah, me too," he adds, feeling worse than ever before. Loki pushes himself off the mattress and lugs himself down the hallway. He bends down, picks up the dismantled cake, and reluctantly takes a fistful. "Happy birthday to me," Loki mutters, depressingly shoving the cake into his mouth. He steps back into his bedroom and swings the door shut with his foot.

…

Later that night, after an uncharacteristically quiet evening at the Beaker castle where each member of the family spent most their time isolated in a different section of the house, Atom trudges up the staircase and knocks on Ceres' bedroom door. "Hey, Ceres?" Atom calls, leaning against the wooden surface, "Dad wants us to come down for cake-whoa!" Atom cries.

He loses his balance and falls into the room causing Ceres to jump up from her spot on the carpet. Atom groans as he rubs his aching forehead. He looks up only to find his sister sitting cross-legged a few feet away from him, holding a tan, furry cat in her arms. "Whoa," Atom states, his eyes widening at the animal, "Who is _that_?"

Ceres leans against the side of her bed, holding Peanut protectively to her chest. "Please don't tell Dad," Ceres pleads, an expression of pure panic spread across her face, "I rescued this kitty from outside when it was thunder storming last night. His name is Peanut and I love him. Please, _please_ don't say anything about this to Dad," Ceres begs, tears forming in the corner of her eyes, "He would never let me have a cat! He hates everything."

"Yeah, that's true. He does," Atom replies. He pauses for a few seconds to think this over, bringing his hand up to his chin in a ponder, "Okay, fine. I won't tell Dad," he agrees wholeheartedly, "As long as you don't tell him about me flushing his tie down the toilet."

Ceres tilts her forehead, "You flushed Dad's tie down the toilet?"

"Not yet. I'm about to do it now," Atom claims, reaching into his pocket and pulling out one of Loki's black ties. He boastfully holds it out in front of him, "I want to see which direction it spins. I heard this rumor that all toilet water spins in the same direction here."

Atom stops in place, feeling a tug on the end of his father's tie. Atom and Ceres both watch as Peanut starts batting at it with his paw. Atom cocks his head slightly, an idea sparking in his mind. "You know, if we're going to keep Peanut, then we should probably get him his own stuff," he says, reaching over and handing the tie to Ceres.

Ceres watches curiously as Atom exits the premises. She flashes Peanut a bewildered look before carefully following after him, still holding their new pet in her arms. Ceres steps forward and quietly approaches Atom, who is digging under the floorboard in his closet. "You have cat stuff?" Ceres awes, stunned as Atom pulls a small scratching post out from the pit of darkness, "When did you get cat stuff?"

Atom pauses and turns to Ceres, wiping his brow as he places the scratching post in front of the pair. He smiles, "I have a lot of things Dad doesn't know about. Did you honestly think he could watch me all day?" he wonders, reaching back under the floorboard and pulling out a few shiny pet dishes, "Here," he chimes, handing the silver and pink bowls to his sister, "I think these are technically dog bowls, but I don't think Peanut will mind."

"Thanks, Atom," Ceres grins, hugging Peanut in her arms, "Peanut and I really appreciate it."

"No problem," Atom replies, standing up and dusting his hands off on his pants, "It's always great when I get to actually use the stuff that I stole. Speaking of which, do you guys want to watch me flush Dad's tie down the toilet?" he asks, snatching the fallen tie from the floor.

"Sure!" Ceres beams, "Let's use the one upstairs, so I can stay on lookout by the door. If we get caught, we'll just say it's for a school project."

"But school doesn't start for another two months," Atom remarks, flashing his twin a blank expression as he cocks his forehead at this statement.

"And you think Dad knows that?" Ceres says skeptically.

Atom nods and holds the tie up towards the ceiling, "Good point. Let's go!"


	17. Right Back Again

**Snapshots From A New Strangetown**

 _Chapter Seventeen – Right Back Again_

Vidcund beams as he steps into Strangetown's fanciest banquet hall with the twins early on a Saturday morning, the desert sun softly lighting up the corridor to the main room. Loki sighs as he drags his feet behind the trio, looking like he is about to die of boredom at any moment. He bolts forward to walk alongside Vidcund, "So, we're just going to make one round, right? Then we can leave?" he asks, already itching in his best suit.

"Loki," Vidcund sighs, rolling his eyes at the ceiling, "we're going to at least stay a few hours here. I really want to catch up with all my relatives," he states, stopping at the entrance to banquet room.

"You're joking, right?" Loki huffs, narrowing his eyes at the sign which reads 'Curious Family Reunion' behind his partner. Vidcund shakes his head causing Loki to let out an exasperated sigh, "Fine," he caves, crossing his arms, "but don't expect me not to complain about it."

Vidcund pushes the door open, allowing Atom and Ceres to race in first before stepping into the mostly-empty hall with Loki. Vidcund turns to him, lowering his voice a tad as they move away from the entrance, "Look, we just got here. Why do you want to leave so soon?"

"Because every time we go to these things, it's always the same old story. I sit here bored out of my mind while the three of you have fun gallivanting around the premises doing God knows what. And then I always get stuck sitting next to your Great Uncle Dex, who yammers on and on to me about the _wonders_ of topsoil," Loki sarcastically spews, throwing his head back with a groan.

Vidcund smiles, "He likes you."

"Of course he likes me," Loki rolls his eyes, "cause he's the one person in this world who I actually want to hate me. God, it's hard being so likable!" Loki pauses slightly and cocks his eyebrow, now noticing Vidcund nervously surveying the scene, "You're looking for Lazlo, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I'm really nervous about this, Loki," Vidcund confesses, fiddling with his hands, "This will be the first time I've seen him since I shut him out ten years ago, and I'm worried that I'll have no idea what to say to him."

"I wouldn't worry about that," Loki quips, grabbing a cocktail from the bar and downing it in one swig, "Lazlo is so enthralled by the sound of his own voice that he probably won't even hear you talking. God, your brother is a douche," he mutters.

"Now, Loki, play nice," Vidcund tells him, "I don't want you causing another scene."

"I _am_ playing nice," Loki snaps, grabbing another drink from the bar, "that's why I'm getting the hell out of this place before he gets here," he declares, taking a sip of his drink before nudging Vidcund in the side, "Come on, let's go spend some time together before Pascal shows up."

Atom bolts past the pair and points to the three-tiered, pink-trimmed cake that is sitting on an elegant table across the room. "Oh my gosh, look at the frosting on that thing!" he shouts, barreling towards it.

"Atom, no!" Vidcund cries, immediately racing after their son while Ceres joins them from the opposite side of the room.

Loki stomach drops, finding himself abandoned in a matter of minutes. He sighs, already knowing that he is in for a long and dreary night, disappointed that he won't get to spend any much-needed alone time with his partner.

…

An hour later, the reunion is nearly in full swing as dozens of sims start conversing in the banquet hall. Pascal is standing with Tycho and the twins at the cake table, trying to estimate the metric volume of the dessert, while Vidcund stands nearby at one of the neatly-decorated buffet tables. Seeing this, Loki smiles and sneaks up on him.

"Hey, cutie," Loki coos, goosing his boyfriend from behind.

Vidcund eeps and blushes profusely, quickly scanning the area to make sure no one saw this daring display of affection. "Loki!" he squeaks, holding his drink tighter.

"Hey," Loki slyly grins, leaning forward and whispering in Vidcund's ear, "Let's mess around, okay? I'm getting bored."

Vidcund cocks his eyebrow, "We've only been here an hour."

"Exactly," Loki mutters.

"Honey, I'm sorry, but I just don't have the time tonight," Vidcund states, vigorously eyeing the front entrance, "Between confronting my brother and making sure Atom doesn't wreck everything in sight – I'm booked," Vidcund says, doing his best to let Loki down easy, "And I really don't want to risk embarrassing myself in front of my extended family again this year by being caught in a compromising position with you in the storage closet," Vidcund explains, lovingly placing his hand on Loki's shoulder, "We'll spend time together at home, alright?"

Loki nods, not bothering to mask his chagrin as he stares down at the carpet. He sighs, "Alright."

…

A half hour later, Loki finds himself right back where he started just a year prior, sitting at an empty table listening to a desperate old man's ramblings about one of the most mundane topics in existence. The table started out full, but everyone else fled the scene shortly after the hefty man started talking. Loki sighs, propping his head up with his hand as Vidcund's Great Uncle Dex continues ranting next to him, "You know, the way I see it, there are basically five types of garden soil: wet, dry, halfsies, festive rock, and mossy…"

"Oh God," Loki moans, hiding his face in his hands as Great Uncle Dex adjusts his thick, red glasses, which are only second to the monstrosity of the bright purple suspenders and the scarlet, checkered flannel shirt that he is wearing.

"Now, mossy is a tricky one because it looks different shades of green depending on the weather," Great Uncle Dex continues, completely obviously to the fact that his listener can barely keep his head up at the conversation.

"Uh-huh," Loki says, reluctantly listening next to him.

"And the weather can be so many different temperatures, like 76 degrees or 45 degrees…and that's not even counting the various kinds of weather like sun, half-sun, sun with an attitude, sun with sunglasses, and of course, rain sun."

Finally having enough, Loki sighs and slaps his hand down, his head aching from the unstimulating rambling. "Okay, no offense, Dex, but after talking to you for twenty minutes, I can definitely see why you're still single. I mean, I thought Pascal was the dorkiest Curious on the planet, but clearly, I got that one wrong. Yeesh!"

Great Uncle Dex huffs and stands up from his seat, visibly offended by Loki's outburst. Loki watches as he shuffles away from the table with his cane, muttering under his breath.

Loki sighs, his gaze wandering towards the entrance. His eyes land on Crystal, who has just stepped into the room with Lazlo, dressed in a jaw-dropping bright lavender ball gown. Loki lifts his head up, his face lighting up at the sight of her as he blocks out the other guests' excessive droning. Loki stands up in his seat, immediately entranced by her. He weaves through the crowd, determined to talk to Crystal, his sparkling gaze not leaving her face as he does so.

Loki stops a few feet behind Crystal and gently taps her on the shoulder. "Well, well, well, look who finally decided to show her face this year," Loki quips.

Recognizing his boisterous tone, Crystal immediately turns around and smiles. Behind her, her husband has his back to them and is bragging about his latest Rolex. "Loki!" Crystal beams, pulling the former physicist into a hug.

Loki freezes, blushing heavily at her touch. Of all the reactions she could've had to him, he had never expected this. "Well," Loki gasps, slowly returning the hug, "it's great to see you too."

The pair let go of each other and Crystal takes a step away from him. She nervously fiddles with her wedding ring, "So, what have you been up to?"

"Not too much," Loki replies, rolling back on his heels as he stuffs his hands into his pockets, "Oh, I uh-made another clone."

"Yeah, I know," Crystal smirks, setting her arms down at her sides, "You let it loose in my office, remember?"

Loki laughs, "Oh, yeah. That was awesome," he states with a satisfied nod.

They stand in silence for a moment, the tension in the air rising around them as neither Loki nor Crystal know what to say to each other.

After a few moments, Loki stares up at Crystal, his heart pounding rapidly in his chest. "Hey, um, I know you probably wouldn't be interested in this, but…would you like to go on the roof with me?"

Crystal looks to the side only to find Lazlo listing off his latest accomplishments to a trio of his relatives. She turns back to Loki and nods, "I would love that."

Loki's eyes widen slightly, in awe by her response, as he gestures her towards the staircase. "Well, alright then. Let's go."

…

Fifteen minutes later, Vidcund is sitting at an empty table, anxiously tapping his fingers against the tabletop as he watches Pascal converse with Lazlo across the room. Vidcund sighs, rolling his eyes when he sees the Armani suit complete with golden Rolex that Lazlo is sporting. Lazlo was never one to subtly flaunt his status, and Vidcund already knows that this cavalier display is going to be hard to stomach tonight.

Vidcund leans back against his chair, his heart sinking as Pascal waves Vidcund over to them. Vidcund reaches forward, grabs the nearest drink, and swigs it. He gives a heavy sigh, stands up from his seat, and cautiously shuffles over to his brothers.

"Hey," Vidcund quietly greets, giving a small wave to the pair.

Pascal waves back and watches as his two brothers stand awkwardly next to each other.

Vidcund looks to Pascal, who is sporting the biggest smile he has ever seen from him. Vidcund stares down at the carpet as Lazlo starts shuffling his feet, both of them too stiff to make eye contact.

After a vapid moment that seems to last forever, Lazlo clears his throat and stares up at his middle brother. "So…Vidcund," Lazlo begins, death-gripping his drink as he glances at Vidcund's signature blue-trimmed, white tuxedo, "Uh, you look the same."

"Thanks," Vidcund squeaks, forcing a grin as he gives his younger brother a once-over, "Um, so do you."

"Yep," Lazlo nods, an awkward silence vehemently making its presence known. Lazlo exhales and looks back at Vidcund, struggling to come up with some light conversation, "So, how are the kids?" he asks.

"They're good," Vidcund replies, eager to get this moment over with and praying for a disruption to do just that, "They uh, liked the bikes you got them."

"Oh, they did?" Lazlo states, somewhat surprised to hear this news, "I wasn't sure if you gave them to the twins or not," he says, trying to skirt around the sore spot, "I was worried that maybe someone destroyed them."

Vidcund cocks his forehead slightly, irate by Lazlo's suggestion as he can feel the anger bubbling up inside of him, "Who would destroy them?" he challenges.

"No one in particular," Lazlo quickly speaks, stumbling over his answer, "I was just saying words."

"Really?" Vidcund sarcastically coos, crossing his arms over his torso, "Cause I don't think that's what you meant by that."

Lazlo steps forward and shoots his brother a piercing glare, "Well, then enlighten me, Vidcund. What exactly did you think I was implying?"

"Hey! Who wants a crab puff?" Pascal swiftly intervenes, placing a hand on both of his brothers' shoulders as he attempts to lighten the mood, "I'm starving!" he smiles.

Vidcund ignores Pascal and narrows his eyes at Lazlo, the pair now locked into a rather intense stare down, "I think you were clearly implying that my boyfriend would ruin them," he growls, a sour taste in his mouth.

"Well, perhaps he would," Lazlo begins, fire in his words as he spits out veracity, "because he has a habit of putting his nose where he shouldn't!"

"And I have a habit of eating carrots in the bathtub!" Pascal beams, trying to keep the two from killing each other, "Let's just move on-"

"You know what, Lazlo?" Vidcund hisses, Pascal's advice falling on deaf ears, "Maybe you should be a little more respectful to the father of my children!"

"Oh, I will," Lazlo steps forward once more, getting in Vidcund's face, "the second he quits lusting after my wife!"

"Oh my God! You actually think he's still going gaga for Crystal?" Vidcund shouts, their argument how attracting a small crowd, "Get over yourself! They barely even see each other!"

Pascal steps back and glances around the room as Lazlo and Vidcund keep bickering with one another. Pascal's stomach drops when he notices the two sims in question are mysteriously gone. His eyes trail to the carpet as Vidcund and Lazlo continue unleashing all hell at each other. Pascal sighs.

…

Meanwhile, Loki and Crystal are sitting on the roof of the banquet hall deep in a conversation about life. Loki sighs as they sit side by side on the roof, staring up at the clouds. "It's just-it's been ten years and he's still expecting things to change, even though I told him going in that it wasn't going to happen," Loki reveals as Crystal continues listening intently next to him, "Then he drags me here and expects me to be happy about it. I don't know, I guess it just feels like Vidcund doesn't know me at all."

"Yeah," Crystal says, surprisingly understanding about the whole thing, "I know what you mean. Sometimes I feel that way about Lazlo."

"Oh?" Loki squeaks, pretending to be surprised.

Crystal nods, "Yeah, Lazlo is still pressuring me to conceive even though he knows I really don't want children," she reveals, sensing the elephant in the room around them, "And I think you know why." Loki nods and stares down at the roof. He fiddles with his sleeves, not saying a word, as Crystal pauses and cracks a small smile, "You know, that was a great trick you pulled on me," Crystal reveals, her mind clearly elsewhere, "setting that clone loose in SimSanto."

Loki nods, "How long did it take you to realize he wasn't me?"

"Well, I thought he might've been you for a good fifteen seconds," Crystal begins, adjusting her back, "but then I quickly realized that you would never chew on your sweater."

Loki gives a small nose laugh, causing Crystal to laugh as well before an intense wave of emotion washes over her. Crystal stares down at the roof and sighs, the dawning of old, repressed feelings coming over her. "Loki?" Crystal speaks, the tension looming around them. She can barely push the words out, "Are you still in love with me?"

Loki freezes in place as he stares straight ahead at the horizon, his mind racing a mile a minute. "Come on, Crystal. What do you expect me to say to that?" he wonders, now on the brink of tears, "You're not going to like whatever answer I give you."

"I know," Crystal nods, turning to gaze at his facial features, "but…it would be nice to hear the truth."

Loki sighs and stares down at the rooftop, collecting all of his courage before he turns and locks eyes with the one person who actually makes him feel vulnerable. "No, Crystal," he states, "I'm not in love with you."

"Oh," Crystal squeaks, clearly taken off-guard by his response as she gives a small nod, "Well, that's…great."

"Yeah," Loki lackadaisically says as he fiddles with his sleeve once more.

…

Fifteen minutes later, Vidcund is standing next to Pascal in front of the three-tiered cake, analyzing every aspect of his failed conversation with Lazlo. "Hey, I still don't think it was that bad," Vidcund confesses, hanging onto his fifth drink of the event, "I mean, we went more than five minutes without screaming at each other, and the only reason why we started in the first place was because of his pompous attitude-"

"Oh, that is _it_ , Vidcund!" Lazlo yells, stepping out from behind the dessert table, "Don't you dare try to pin your failings on me!"

"Failings? What failings?!" Vidcund shrieks as Pascal quickly takes cover behind the nearest buffet table, "I have nothing to be ashamed of! You're the one who's always trying to make me feel bad about my life!"

"Because you choose to waste your time with an abusive asshole!"

Time stands still as an inferno blazes in Vidcund's eyes. "Oh, you are going to regret saying that!" Vidcund roars. The pair lunges forward, getting into an all-out brawl. In no time, they are surrounded by a crowd of chanting Curiouses.

"No, not the cake!" Pascal shrieks as his brothers knock into the delicate dessert, the pink and white frosting getting all over them. "Well, something tells me I'm going to be describing this to my future therapist," he sweatdrops.

…

An hour later, Crystal and Loki are still sitting on the roof, the latter now sitting on his discarded jacket as the pair continue with their casual discussion. Loki stares pensively at a cloud and sighs, "You know, it was my birthday last week."

"Ah, yes," Crystal replies, happy that she hasn't dampened his spirits. She crosses her legs causing a small purple book to fall out of her pocket, "the big four-five. I'm sorry, I would've texted you, but I know how much you hate getting old-" Crystal turns to the side, now noticing Loki holding the fallen object in his hand, a peculiar look spread across his face as he stares down at the cover.

"Holy shit…you're evil?" Loki squeaks as he flimsily holds up the book entitled, Crystal Vu's Top Secret Inventions, which has a bright yellow image of a skull and crossbones on it.

She nods and quickly snatches it from him, "Yes," she confirms, "I just don't parade it around like you. Want to see?" she offers, opening to a random page and handing the book back to him. Loki takes it from her and blazes through the pages, amazed by what he finds.

"Oh God, that's positively diabolical!" he raves, quickly dropping the book on the roof. Loki stands up abruptly and turns away from his former boss, "Oh man. You need to get out of here. _Now_."

"What? Why?" Crystal squeaks, slowly standing up next to him as she flimsily holds the book in her hands.

"Crystal, I mean it," Loki distressingly says, covering his face with his hand as he paces the roof, "If you stay here any longer, then I'm probably going to be tempted because I still really like you, even after you married Douchebag LaRue," Loki vents, unable to hide his feelings anymore, "And there's not a day that goes by that I don't think about you…about the two of us being together," Crystal stops in place, her face softening at this news, "And then you come here tonight and you're still just as stunning as you were ten years ago, and you tell me that you're evil-and all I can say is…thanks a lot, universe! Message received!" Loki blares, sarcastically throwing his arms up at the clouds.

Crystal steps forward, her eyes not leaving Loki since he erupted into this rant. She steps forward and puts her hands gently on his forearms, stopping him in place. "Loki, it's okay. Everything's going to be alright," Crystal soothingly tells him as she stares into his eyes.

"No, no, it won't," Loki confesses, feeling like he is going to vomit at any moment, "Because I still like you, okay? What do you want me to say? That I don't?"

Crystal cocks her forehead, her eyes filling with concern, "Loki-"

"You know, I tried to suppress it, but I can't anymore. I love you, Crystal."

At this, Loki steps back, his face flushing in embarrassment. Crystal watches as Loki picks up his jacket and exits the premises, leaving her shocked and alone. Crystal steps back and turns towards the horizon, hugging herself as the wind picks up around her, the impending storm only second to the one she is feeling in her heart as she watches Loki depart.

…

"Unbelievable! I can't believe that you guys would do this!" Pascal fires into the nearly-empty banquet hall, scolding his two brothers who are shamefully staring down at the carpet, covered in frosting from head to toe. Behind them, several of their relatives are exiting the premises, shaking their heads at the pair before they do so, "You know, you two have put me in a very awkward position for the last ten years! Is it really that hard for you to get along for five freakin' minutes?"

"Okay, we get it," Vidcund speaks, wiping some of the frosting off his glasses before slipping them back up the bridge of his nose, "We're sorry, Pascal."

"Yeah, and I'll pay for the cake," Lazlo offers, "It'll be easy with my impressive salary."

Pascal turns to the side, now noticing the enraged expression forming on his middle brother's face. Pascal quickly bolts forward and holds his arm back, "Vidcund, no! Think of the insurance claims!"

Vidcund sighs as he reluctantly places his arm down, watching as Lazlo stands up from his seat and turns to them. "Well, this was…fun," Lazlo mutters, racking his brain for something positive to say about the banquet, "I uh, guess I'll see you in another ten years."

Vidcund and Pascal watch as Lazlo heads towards the exit, the former's stress level dropping the further Lazlo treks away. Vidcund looks to Pascal, who is gazing down at the carpet in sorrow. A tinge of guilt forms in Vidcund's stomach. "Lazlo, wait!" Vidcund sighs, quickly catching up to him. Lazlo stops in his tracks and turns to Vidcund, his fists clenched softly at his sides.

"Look Lazlo, I'm really sorry about what happened today," Vidcund states sincerely, staring into his younger brother's eyes, "I don't hate you. The truth is I was just kinda jealous because you're doing so well without me and here I am failing in my relationship with Loki, and I took that anger out on you."

"Oh," Lazlo squeaks, unsure how to process all this, "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Really?" Vidcund squeaks, his mind reeling over Lazlo's words.

"Yeah," Lazlo nods, not a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He pats Vidcund once on the shoulder, looking as though it is painful for him to continue, "I know how much you like him."

Vidcund nods, unable to believe how genuine Lazlo is being, "Yes, I do."

"Well, uh…if you guys are ever in Veronaville. Give me a call," Lazlo says, casually dropping an invite as he turns back towards the entrance, a smile forming in the corner of his lip.

"Yeah," Vidcund replies, barely able to keep his head up, "Will do."

Lazlo stops at the doorway and gives a single wave before going through the double doors and disappearing out of sight.

Vidcund stands stationary in the center of the banquet hall, his mind racing a mile a minute over their surprisingly pleasant conversation. Pascal smiles as he walks up behind him and pats Vidcund cheerfully on the shoulder.

"I'm proud of you, Vidcund," Pascal awes.

"Well," Vidcund sighs, his mind now shifting to thoughts of Loki, "I'll always have that."

Pascal steps away slightly when he spies Loki walking towards them, the former physicist's face devoid of emotion. Pascal smiles and pats Vidcund on the back once again before taking off to find Tycho. Loki slowly approaches Vidcund, his hands in his pockets, as he stares down at the carpet.

"Hey," Vidcund greets, turning towards his partner, "Where have you been?"

"I was, uh, on the roof," Loki confesses, casually pointing his thumb over his shoulder, "I just needed some fresh air."

"Ah," Vidcund replies as his attention shifts to a stack of dirty dishes. Loki watches as Vidcund walks over to a nearby table and cleans them up, his boyfriend's unusual appearance now registering in his mind. "By the way, did you make Great Uncle Dex cry?"

"I don't know, probably," Loki shrugs, staring down at the stack of plates, "He seems like someone who's emotionally fragile. What the hell happened to you?" he wonders, gesturing at the frosting on Vidcund's tuxedo with a smirk.

"I got into a fight with Lazlo," Vidcund confesses, watching as Loki tries to smother his laughter. Vidcund cocks his eyebrow, "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

Loki nods smugly, crossing his arms loosely over his torso, "And you were worried about me causing a scene."

Vidcund sighs and shakes his head at the floor as he continues cleaning up the table in front of them, "Bad things happen when we get together with them."

Loki winces slightly and hugs himself as he steps away from the table. If only Vidcund knew how accurate that statement really is.


End file.
